


Whole Lotta Lovin'

by l0vesparks007



Category: Lovecraft Country, Lovecraft Country (HBO)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Family Feels, LCCU, Romance, my babies are the most precious things in the world
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-11
Updated: 2020-10-08
Packaged: 2021-03-07 01:42:13
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 3
Words: 24,101
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26418907
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/l0vesparks007/pseuds/l0vesparks007
Summary: Set after episode 5x03 "Holy Ghost":Leti makes an alarming discovery after her encounter with Tic at the housewarming party. Dealing with demons from the past and facing an uncertain future, they both make some life changing decisions and lean on each other as they deal with their new realities.
Relationships: Atticus "Tic" Freeman/Letitia "Leti" Lewis
Comments: 19
Kudos: 56





	1. Aww, Hell

**Author's Note:**

> Shout outs to the lovely Ladies over in the newly appointed 'Lovecraft Country Cinematic Universe' group chat for helping me take this head canon and make it blossom into something beautiful. Ya'll the real MVP's 🥰

**_Part One: “Aww, hell.”_ **

This is the third time this week Leti Lewis has spent her morning leaned over the toilet. 

She’s not really sure what’s wrong and figures she caught some weird stomach bug as she brushes her teeth. It’s an odd time for a stomach bug, but she feels like shit so she doesn’t really care as she makes her way back into her bedroom and crawls back in bed; pulling the sheets over her head. The house is eerily quiet, but she appreciates the silence. Trying to quell the turning in her stomach she closes her eyes, attempting to go back to sleep.

She wakes up a few hours later starving and notices the grey skies outside her bedroom window, the warning of a looming rain that was approaching. The house has a few more voices chattering now as she makes her way downstairs into the kitchen, curtly nodding at the tenets in the house that spoke to her as she made her way to the kitchen. It was a humid summer day in Chicago, despite the looming rain and the fan placed in the open window of the kitchen did little to take some of the heat of the air. She welcomed the cool breeze from the fridge as she poured herself a glass of lemonade and stood in the open door of the fridge, fanning herself as her skin glistened with a soft sheen of sweat. 

“Hey Leti!” James peaked around the corner when he saw her in the kitchen and walked in. She responded with a tight lipped smile and raised her glass to him in greeting before taking another sip. “Good to see you’re up. Tic called earlier looking for you. Said he’d give you a call later.” 

Leti’s smile perked up at the mention of Tic, though she tried not to give much notice to James. It’s been a couple weeks since they’ve last seen each other. Their encounter during the housewarming party a little over a month ago was fresh on her mind as the day it happened and had been on a loop since. Since she was resurrected, all she’s been searching for was feeling again. Being with Tic, she needed that. It was the first time she’s felt anything since. She meant that when she told Tic in that bar before the exorcism and after... well they both needed time to process. 

“Thank you. He leave a number to call back?” She started to make a sandwich when James pointed to the notepad by the phone. 

“Yeah, I wrote it down next to the phone.” James smiled and walked back upstairs to his room, long ago giving up on trying to get Letitia Lewis to notice him. She only had eyes for Tic, that much has always been apparent. 

She grabs the sheet on the notepad and her sandwich and makes her way back up to her room. Settling down she takes a bite of the sandwich and dials the number scribbled on the sheet of paper and waits as the phone rang. Dee answers the phone cheerfully.

“Freeman residence.” 

“Hey, Dee.” She gulps her bite down quickly. “It’s Leti. Is Tic around? Just returnin his call.” 

“Hey Leti! Yeah, hold on. Lemme go get him.” Leti hears the teenager scream for Tic and it’s a moment of silence before she hears a muffled reply back. “Here he come, Leti.” 

“Thanks, Dee.” It’s another brief moment waiting for Tic to come to the phone and she uses the time to inhale the rest of her sandwich, astonished with the fact that she still felt hungry. 

“Leti?” Tic’s warm voice wafted over the phone and Leti felt her stomach lurch in reaction to it. 

“Heard you been callin’ lookin’ for me?” She grinned brightly although he couldn’t see her through the phone. 

“Yeah… Leti uh…” She could practically hear the wheels turning in his head as he stumbled for words. “How you been?” He asked nervously, not really sure why his hands were starting to sweat. 

“I’ve been alright, I guess. Feelin a little under the weather today but I’m ok.” She started, picking with the loose string on her bed sheet and settling into her bed again. “How about you?” This past month has been a lot for her, she could only imagine what Tic was going through. 

“Can I come by?” He blurts out suddenly and it catches her off guard. 

“Umm, sure. I’ll see you later.” She sits up now and it makes her stomach somersault. 

“Uh.. ok. I’ll be over in a couple hours.” The call disconnects suddenly and she feels nauseous all over again. 

~~~~~~

She’s putting the final touches on her lipstick when the doorbell rings. 

Making her way downstairs, she sees Tic walk in. His round glasses sitting on his face slightly crooked in that adorable way and his shirt, always stretching across his sculpted chest and arms in a way that never fails to make her knees weak. He’s carrying his duffle bag on his shoulder and is sporting this nervous lopsided grin when they make eye contact. 

“Hey.” She says shyly as she brushes her hair behind her ear and Tic walks up to her and pulls her into a tight hug that she revels in the warmth of. 

“Hey.” He smiles shyly back and she grips his hand as she leads him back to her bedroom. 

When they get back into her room she sits on her bed and he drops his bag in the corner of the room before looking upon her with sad eyes. The shift in his body language immediately put her on guard. 

“I just wanted to come and see you before I headed out.” Tic sat down next to her when the look of confusion crossed her face. The way he felt for Leti ran deep and has since they were teenagers. But the battle he was about to partake in was dangerous and she had already died once on his watch. That nightmare still wakes him up at night in a cold sweat. The idea of losing her forever was too great. He had to protect her, and the only way he could do that would be by removing himself from the situation and away from her while he recouped and planned. “I’m gonna head back to Florida tonight. I just… didn’t want to leave without saying goodbye.” 

Leti felt like the wind had been knocked clear from her lungs. Biting the inside of her lip to try to save her tears, she nodded her head in reluctant agreeance. “So, you came by before you left to say bye to _me_.” She laughed bitterly. What a fool she was for thinking that something would come more from this. Everyone who was supposed to care for her left, why would Tic be any different? He did it once already, leaving for Korea. Ultimately, it’s why she left as well, not really seeing any reason to keep her in Chicago either with him gone. She should almost expect these types of things now. She stood up and walked over to stand in front of him. “Be safe, ok? Let me know when you make it there.” 

His frame towers over her when he stands up and the look on Leti’s face tells him, he might be doing more harm than good. But he’d rather her hate him and still be alive, then love him in death. “I will.” He pulls her into a hug, one that lasts a bit too long before he pulls away from her and presses a gentle but tentative kiss to her forehead. “See ya, Leti.” 

“Bye, Tic.” When she hears the door close down stairs she flops on her bed and buries her face in her hands, no longer able to keep the tears at bay. 

~~~~~~~~~

About two months later, Leti is _still_ spending her mornings in the bathroom and the tenants are starting to complain about all the time she spends in there. 

She aptly reminds them her name is the one on the lease and she can spend as much time in the master bathroom as she’d like. She ends her tirade by swinging the bathroom door open and stomps her way back into her bedroom, slamming the door loudly for added effect. Everyone is on high alert, noticing how on edge and irritable she’s been for the past couple months. Especially once Tic left for Florida.

Leti on the other hand is reeling. What she thought was a summer stomach bug has turned into an alarmingly routine situation and her stomach dropped to her feet when the thought crossed her mind. The realization hits her like a ton of bricks and she frantically rushes over to her purse and in search of her pocket book with her calendar in it, as she racks her brain trying to remember her last period. Her calendar confirmed her worst fear by showing her it’s been almost _three_ months since her last dated period and she flopped back into her bed in tears. 

She _couldn’t_ be. 

Not her _first_ time. 

Not with Tic _gone_. 

~~~

Her doctor confirmed that it wasn’t a summer stomach bug that made her vomit her insides up every morning, but morning sickness. Three months along at that, ending her first trimester and Leti’s felt like she was underwater since. 

The boarders in the house all greeted her when she got back. She mumbled a dazed greeting as she headed up the stairs back into her room. The sound of the door shutting behind her is the normal routine for Leti these days and with the way she’s been biting people’s heads off left and right… they figured it’s best for everyone if they just don’t poke the bear. After all, they’ve all either seen or heard what that woman could do with a baseball bat. 

When the door shut behind her, she flopped onto her bed and curled over on her side. Her tears staining her pillow case as she cried out silently, muffling her sobs into her pillow. Just a few months ago she was begging to feel anything, now she was feeling too much. 

She tried to remember a time when she felt more lost, more alone than she did right at that moment and she couldn’t think of a time since she was a child. That same fear of uncertainty, not knowing if her Mother would ever come back to save her. If Ruby would dry her tears as she cried herself asleep another night when their Mama didn’t return home like she said she would. The one person that made her feel more safe than she has in her entire life is now gone, somewhere in racist fuck Florida. She hasn’t heard from him in almost a month. Their phone calls are few and far in between, and they were always short and stilted. It wasn’t lost on her that this was his child she was carrying, this just added an additional layer of shit she really didn’t need right now. 

_How could she have been so stupid?_

~~~~~~~~

It’s a couple of weeks later when the morning sickness is so bad she just leaves a trash can by the side of her bed. 

She hears a soft knock at her door in between her dry heaving, she grumbles a “Go away!” briefly before she’s hit with another wave of nausea that sends her head back into the trash can. 

The door opens quietly and in walks Ruby and this is the _last_ person she needs to see right now. The taller woman walks in with a bowl and rag in her hands and sets it by her bedside. She places the cool rag on the back of her neck and she welcomes the soothing chill as it distracts her stomach from turning for a moment. 

“You look like shit.” Ruby puts her hand on her hip and looks down at her sister, curled up in bed and the trashcan filling the room with the putrid smell of her sickness. 

“Gee, thanks.” Leti rolls her eyes and takes the rag from the back of her neck and places it on her forehead. “You came by to insult me some more?” She bites out angrily, their last conversation still on repeat in her head too. “Because I really don’t feel like hearing it so please, Ruby.” 

Ruby raises her hands in surrender. “No, I’m not here to insult you more. I called because I read what you said about me in the paper…” She moves the trash can from besides the bed and sits next to her sister on the bed. “So I called and James said you’ve been sick these past few months.” 

Leti raised her eyebrows briefly before rolling them, slowly turning back over on her side to keep the nausea at bay. “That all?” She grumbles.

“Damn it, Leti. Ok. I’m sorry. I was... harsh, the last time we spoke.” 

“Harsh? You think?” Leti scoffed and scrunched her nose at the smell of whatever it was that Ruby brought up in that bowl. 

“More than harsh. I still think you got a lot of growing up to do, but the better sister would help you grow. Not cut you down when you're just blooming.” She grabs Leti’s hand and the concern mounts on her face when she feels how clammy it is to touch. “Have you been to the doctor?” She presses a hand to Leti’s forehead and smiles at the memories of doing this as a teenager with a younger Leti. “You don’t have a temperature.” 

Leti rolls her eyes and brushes her sister’s hand away from her face. “I’m fine, Ruby. You don’t have to come all the way across town to baby me. You don’t have to keep taking care of me, right?.” 

“Yes I do apparently because look at you. Did you see a doctor?” She reiterates her question again as she starts to look over her when she doesn't feel a temperature.

“Can you stop that?” Leti pushes her checking hands away from her and her stomach turns when she gets a whiff of the bowl of soup Ruby brought up. She scrambles for the trash can and heaves whatever is left in her stomach into it, just in the nick of time before she missed. Ruby’s eyebrows shoot up instantly and when Leti’s finished she wipes her mouth and her eyes land on her sister’s stomach. Her night shirt had ridden up and there was a noticeable bump that stretched across her sister’s tiny frame and she gasped loudly. 

“Leti!” Her hands instantly fly to her mouth in shock. “It’s morning sickness… you’re pregnant.” She hisses out through her teeth, her eyes wide in bewilderment. 

“Can you keep your voice down!” Leti pleads, resigning to being caught. “I found out a couple weeks ago, ok?” Her eyes drop to Ruby’s feet as they swell up with tears. “No one else knows so just _please_.. Just keep it to yourself?” Her voice cracks and Ruby’s shock immediately softens. 

“Whose is it, Leti?” She questions as she pulls her sister into a hug, her heart breaking for the small shell of the formidable sister she’s always known. “Is it someone here?” 

The question makes her stiffen in her sister’s arms and she wipes her face. “It’s not important. I’m gonna keep it and raise it on my own. I can do it myself.”

“Leti, you can barely take care of yourself!” Ruby whisper-yells and breathes to calm herself before continuing. “You just started and now you're going to have another innocent life you have to look out for. The father deserves to know so he can at least help take care of what he helped create. You can tell me if he’s here or not, Leti. If he wants no part of this baby. I’ll make _sure_ he does.” 

“Ruby, will you give it a rest _please_ ? It’s not important because he’s not here. He _left_ like everyone else has, so it’s just gonna be me and this baby, ok?” Her voice cracks with emotion as she angrily wipes more tears from her eyes. “I’ve accepted that and you should too.” 

Ruby’s eyes well up with tears when it dawns on her. “Oh Leti…” She pulls her sister in tighter to her as she curls up on the bed with her. “Tic?” She guesses in awe.

Ruby got her answer when the mention of his name released the dam that Leti had been holding and she curled into her sister’s shoulder, her body racked with heavy sobs. Ruby did the only thing she knew how to at this point, she just held Leti tighter and stroked her hair humming softly until they both fell asleep. 

~~~~~~

Ruby moves back into the house that following weekend. 

Leti at first refused to have Ruby there to help but Ruby all but told her she had no choice but to accept it. Especially if she was so hellbent on _not_ telling Tic she was pregnant. 

“Ruby, I’m not having this discussion with you again. Chicago was clearly too much for him, he faced too many demons and he left. No reason for him to stay here.” Leti throws the sweaters she was helping unpack back in the box.

“Umm, his _child_?” Ruby whispered, looking at her sister like it was obvious as she unpacked her typewriter. 

“I didn’t know I was pregnant when he left, Ruby.” She grabs the box of hangers and drops them on the bed next to the sweaters. “I told you that already.” 

“And yet, you have not called him.” 

“There’s nothing to say. He made his decision and it wasn’t me.” 

“Leti, there is everything to say.” Ruby stops what she’s doing now and looks at her sister pointedly. “Start off with ‘Remember when you took my virginity in the upstairs bathroom?’ and end it with ‘You’re gonna be a Daddy.’” She motions her hands like a scale. 

Leti scoffs. “I said I’m done with this conversation, Ruby.” She throws the hanger on the bed angrily. “Why do you _keep_ pressing this?” 

“Because you don’t just hide something like this, Leti! He deserves to know! That’s so fucked up!” 

“Well... you did call me a fuck up right? So this should be on brand for me then, huh?” She bites out bitterly and this time it’s Ruby who scoffs. 

“I told you that I was wrong for that.” 

“And you’re wrong for this too!” Leti pushes the box with the sweaters over onto the floor. They spill out onto the floor as Leti’s face flushes red with anger and her eyes glaze over with tears. “Unpack your own shit.” 

~~~~~~~~~

The next few weeks were spent with Leti’s doctor appointments and the occasional argument amongst the two sisters. 

Ruby’s been picking up more gigs in the meantime to bring in more money and they’ve finally informed the tenants of Leti’s pregnancy, once she was no longer able to hide her ever growing belly. They've accumulated a mass amount of baby clothes and diapers ever since and the women in the house started taking bets on what Leti was having based on how low her stomach sat and how round she had gotten. 

The running tally was currently five for a boy and three for a girl. 

While Ruby’s at work, everyone fawned over the now four and a half months pregnant Leti. Much to her irritation but found herself too exhausted to even fight it most days. When she wasn’t sleeping, soaking her aching back in the tub, eating, throwing up or as she’s come to find out recently; peeing every hour like clockwork. She had been getting things together in her bedroom for the baby. 

Ruby had found a crib and James was kind enough to fix it up for her and it now sat in the corner of her bedroom. For now it held blankets and clothes that she had received so far and Mrs. Robinson from the third floor had knit her a beautiful baby blanket as soon as she heard the news. It now hangs over the side railing of the crib. While she was irritated somewhat with being fawned over, she did appreciate the help and support so she sucked it up the best she could. And as much as it pissed her off to admit most days, having Ruby there with her was more appreciated than she could put into words. 

She often thought after she died and was resurrected that she was almost invincible. Her brief brush with the Grim Reaper and then the restless ghosts haunting her house, made her feel like she could handle anything this new world threw her. How naive of her to think even briefly something like that, when the next curveball this new world could throw at her was _motherhood_. Something in an almost distant past to her she vaguely remembered now, she wanted at some point. But had seen the world in some of it’s darkest spots and the fear of bringing life into it was even more scary than anything she’s faced so far. She was fucking _terrified_ of doing this by herself and she chided herself for even feeling relieved at having Ruby by her side now. The differences between the two sisters pushed aside for the most part now and _bonding_ , and not over the house like she once thought. But over the life she was bringing into the world, the thing she fell more in love with everyday.

Leti’s heard her entire life how childbirth brings people together in sometimes the most fateful of ways. She cooed quietly to her stomach as she felt the baby kick her side, rubbing the area gently before going back to her task of folding clothes and making room in a little dresser she had. Leti _felt_ she was having a boy at this point, she couldn’t explain it. But the idea made her heart constrict at the thought of a little boy who will probably look a lot like his father. He was becoming more active as the weeks went by now, and the feeling still took her off guard every time. The feeling made it more real everytime she felt it. Every time she looked in the mirror and watched her hips spread and her breasts get more full. Her cheeks, which were already full, fill out even more. Her sister however, rooted for a little girl. Someone she could play dress up with and teach guitar too. She however, didn’t care about gender as long as the baby was healthy. 

But she would bet money it’s a boy. 

“Leti!” She heard Ruby holler from downstairs. Which was odd, she thought Ruby had left for a gig that night. “You gotta visitor!” She hollers again. Now she’s even more concerned because she wasn’t expecting anyone. 

So she makes her way downstairs, tightly gripping the bannister and taking her time after a few too many close calls trying to make it down the steps before as she hears Ruby continue to call her name with the passing time it takes her to make her way down the steps. “Hush up, Ruby. I’m coming. You know I have to take my time on the-” Her words stop instantly in her throat when her eyes land on her visitor at the bottom of the stairs. 

There stands Tic looking sun kissed and just as good as he did the last time she’s seen him. She stops mid step and is grateful for her holding on to the railing of the stairs to keep her upright and she can’t even look him in the eyes. She can however cut her eyes to Ruby who is standing at the door with her arms crossed and looked away from Leti’s heated gaze. 

She takes every good thing she just thought about her back.

“How _could_ you?” She hisses venomously through her teeth and Ruby sucks her teeth.

“I didn’t tell him _shit_ , Leti. But it seems like _you_ just did.” 

Leti’s eyes cut to Tic and the look on his face made her chest tighten instantly and tears sprang to her eyes, spilling down her cheeks. “Tic I-.” She made her way down the rest of the steps, cutting a glare to her sister as she wiped her cheeks. “Let me explain.”

“It’s mine? You knew this _whole_ time and didn’t say _anything_ ?” He looked stunned, blinking incessantly and started pacing back and forth, rubbing his hands over his head like it would help the information sink in. “ _Nothin’_ , Leti?” He pleads and his eyes are full of tears, which makes the smaller woman gasp out a sob. 

“Tic, Uncle George had died and…. Everything else.” She had to remember what company she was in. “You wanted out and I didn’t even know.. I..”

“And the times we spoke after, when you found out?” He reaches out towards her instinctively and pulls them back in anger and hurt, it’s all over his face and she can hear his labored breathing as he tries to rack his mind with the news. 

“You seemed ok. I didn’t want you rushing back here for me, it’s too much darkness here for you. I can feel it.” She pleads with him, her voice breaking to hiccup in through her tears. Her face flushed red and her eyelashes stuck together, as she tried to wipe her face of her tears. Her words soften his tone, but his anger is still bubbling at the surface. “I’m _so_ sorry. Can we talk about this in my room _please_?” She pleaded when she noticed the voices in the living room and kitchen began to quiet and sighed in relief when he relented and motioned for her to start up the stairs before he did. The tension she was feeling lessened when she felt Tic’s hands instantly grip her hips from behind as he assisted her up the stairs. Ruby turns around to head back into the kitchen, when she hears Leti hiss out.

“You too. I have a lot I'd like to say to you, Ruby.”

~~~

When Ruby gets in the door, Leti lets loose. 

“You told him? After I told you _specifically_ to leave it alone.”

“No... what you said was you were done with the conversation. Tic never got a chance to have it, Leti. It’s selfish.” Ruby rolls her eyes and crosses her arms over her chest, her glare towards her little sister never faltering. “Again... I didn’t tell him anything. 

Tic sat back, welcoming the bickering between the two sisters as he tried to wrap his mind around the situation. When Aunt Hippolyta had called him earlier this month for one of their monthly phone calls, he almost didn’t believe her when she mentioned in passing that Leti was pregnant and apparently due in a few months time. And his first instinct was crushed. He knew he hurt her by leaving the way he did, she never did really sound the same on the phone when they did speak. _Did his leaving push her into the arms of another man?_ He then realized that’s what she was dealing with when she stated she was sick. _Why would she not tell me what’s going on?_

So he called her the next day but instead got Ruby.

_*THE WEEK PRIOR*_

It was a hot summer night in Florida on the coast as he waited in his small apartment waiting for the phone to ring, his leg bounced nervously as he waited for the phone to ring. 

“Hello?” Ruby’s voice filtered through the phone and Atticus exhaled a breath he didn’t even realise he was holding. 

“Hey Ruby. Is Leti there?” He asks nervously as he rubs his hand over his head. 

“She here but she sleep.” Ruby replied dryly. “She’s been...sick for the past few months. Takes a lot out of her. I’ll tell her you called though.” 

He looks at the phone confused by Ruby’s tone, so he asks the question that’s been on his mind all day. “Hey, Ruby, so Aunt Hippolyta mentioned to me the other day that she heard Leti was pregnant. That true?” 

Ruby sat on the other line stunned, but not exactly surprised that word got back to him so fast. News of Leti’s pregnancy spread fast through the town once it broke, the mystery man she was pregnant by was the hot topic she heard murmured even amongst the house when they thought she wasn’t around. She just wasn’t expecting the news to get to him in Florida so fast.

“You know, Tic.” She breathed, remembering how adamant Leti had been about him. But being kept up at night at the idea that Tic was out there not knowing about the child she _knows_ he wants, at the same time. She decided that since Leti was done with the conversation, she’d obey her wishes. But that doesn’t mean she wasn’t going to hint. “It’s not my story to tell. You should speak to her face to face.” 

“Uh… ok.” Tic stuttered. “I-I’ll do that. You’ll tell her I called?” 

“I will. Talk to you soon, Tic.” Ruby disconnected the call and Tic blinked as he placed the phone back on the receiver. He sat there for a moment, his mind whirring a mile a minute before he stood and pulled out his duffle bag from under his bed. 

_*PRESENT*_

“I told you I didn’t say anything to him! Don’t be mad at me because you got caught up. You thought this wouldn’t get back to him sometime, Leti?” Ruby challenged her sister and they stood toe to toe with each other. Leti’s chest is puffed out and her small statue standing up to her sister would be comical if not for the situation. Her large baby bump putting space between the two women and Tic against his best judgement decided to step in between the fighting sisters. 

“Don’t yell at her!” Tic asserts between the two women and Ruby stands back eyes wide. 

“Excuse you?” 

“Listen, Leti.” Tic ignores her and turns to Leti. “Aunt Hippolyta told me. Ruby didn’t tell me anything. I came here to see for myself.”

The smaller woman wipes her eyes and backs away from Ruby, feeling smaller than she’s ever felt. “I’m sorry, Ruby.” The older sister walks over to her and nods her head silently acknowledging and accepting the apology, briefly rubbing Leti’s stomach and resting her head against hers briefly before leaving the room. Leaving the two future parents the privacy to have this needed conversation.

“But I can’t believe you’d try to hide this from me.” He looks at her with the saddest eyes and Leti bites back another sob at the look. “My baby, Leti?” His voice cracks with emotion and he turns away from her wiping his face. 

“You _left_ , Tic!” Leti just unfurls, unable to contain any single emotion anymore. “What was I supposed to do? I didn’t know until after you left and then when I found out what? You had just found a job and a place to stay. Chicago reminds you too much of the past, that’s why you always run from it. I get it. I do too. But I’m here now, and you left! I’m not gonna cry and beg you to come back to me!” 

“I would’ve came back for my child, Leti! If you’da told me-”

“You woulda what,Tic?” She screams, no longer caring who overhears. “Before you left we haven’t spoke for weeks. Before the-” She lowers her voice. “Exorcism… we didn’t speak for weeks before that either. What _ever_ gave me the clue that you would want this? Me? A child? What, Tic?” 

“I’ve been by myself before. I told you that I’m staking my claim in this. Me and this baby ar-...” Her words trail off as her eyes roll back in her head and Tic barely makes it across the room in time to catch her before she hits the floor, limp in his arms. 

“Ruby!” He hollers, patting Leti’s cheeks gently as her head lulls back limply. “Ruby! Get help! It’s Leti!” He panics, trying his best to gently shake Leti awake. That same fear he felt that night she was shot gripping his entire being and he feels himself getting more desperate with every passing moment Leti didn’t come to. This time she’s carrying their child and he cries out for Ruby again as she rushes into the room. 

“I called the ambulance, what happened?” Her eyes bulge open when her eyes land on Leti in Tic’s arms.

“W-we were arguing and her eyes rolled back in her head. I don’t know?” He starts checking her for her pulse and presses a kiss to her knuckles, her hands feeling clammy to the touch. 

“Come on, baby. Wake up.” 

~~~

Leti comes home later the next day.

She rode the entire ride home silent and looking out the window. The doctor cleared her after her overnight observance, with the recommendation of keeping her blood pressure down and to stay hydrated in this heat and they headed back to the house with Leti remaining silent the entire time. When they pulled up to the house, she struggled to get out on her own and Tic rushed over to her side of the car attempting to help her out of the car. 

“I can do it, Tic.” She hissed out, pushing his hands away from her. She adjusts herself and slides out the car on her knees using the car door to lift herself up. Slamming the car door she made her way back into the house and up the steps, albeit slowly up the porch. Tic just sighed and ran up behind her. 

When she gets back in the house she swings the door open and it slams. The tenants in the living room look at her and then at each just greeting her as she walks in, some wishing her well wishes and welcoming her back home. She smiles tightly, and thanks them as she makes her way to the stairs.

Tic rushes in behind her and closes the door and locks it behind him, giving his hellos to everyone in the house before rushing up behind Leti and scoops her up off her feet, carrying her bridal style making the smaller woman yelp. 

“Atticus Freeman, you put me down or I’m puttin’ my foot in your ass!” She hollers and Tic just continues to make his way up the steps, her frame even with the added weight of their child made for a light lift. She slaps his shoulders as he just carries her up the stairs. 

“Tic, put me down!” She yells when they finally make it up the stairs and he stops in front of her room. “My leg’s ain't broke!” She opens the door and he follows her inside and closes the door behind them. 

“Ok, Leti enough…” He stared down at Leti as she crawls into bed and curls over on her side away from him. “Leti look at me.” He commanded and she reluctantly turned and looked at him, her eyes tired. 

“That’s _our_ baby.” He starts and sits down on the bed next to her. “I’m trying to fully understand why you kept it a secret from me… but I’m here now and I’m not going anywhere. I’m gonna take care of you and this baby, so you might as well get used to it.” He finishes his statement by rubbing her stomach tentatively and he feels a light flutter underneath his hand. 

Leti relents when she feels the kick too, and Tic gasps softly. His face drops softly at the feeling and his eyes start to prick with tears. This feeling clung to her like a shadow, following her wherever Tic was concerned. She placed her hands over his where the baby was moving around until the movement stopped. “He musta got comfortable.” She whispers. “He’s been real active lately.” She smiles warmly and she reaches up to gently wipe a stray tear that escaped his eye. 

“He?” Tic questions as he continues to rub her growing belly gently, chuckling softly. 

“I think it’s a boy.” She admits softly and the smile that crosses his face makes her smile too. 

“I just want whatever it is, healthy.” He smiles softly back at her. “But I bet it’s a little girl. A little spitfire just like her mama.” She laughs gently at the idea. 

“Lord help us with another, Leti.” 

“That’s for sure.” She scoffs and they share a light laugh, the first they can recall in months. 

“I meant it, Leti. I’m not going anywhere.” He says after a moment, grabbing her hand and looking at her sincerely. 

“ _We_ believe you.” 

  
  



	2. Say What Now?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Leti and Tic co-habitate and try to find equal footing as Leti's due date draws near.

**_Part Two: Say What Now?_ **

Leti wakes up in the middle of the night screaming. 

She’s covered in sweat from head to toe and gripping her chest as she gasps for breath. Not even realizing she’s crying as her hands go to her stomach, the baby tossing and turning underneath her palm at the sudden movement. Her nightmares haven’t been this vivid in a while. The sinking feeling of inky blackness that surrounded her, followed her, never really allowing her to move completely past what happened in Ardham. Her bedroom door bursts open and she shields her eyes from the sudden light filtering in the room from the hallway. Tic’s large frame loomed in the door dressed in pajama pants and a shirt, his dog tags clinking together loudly as he hurriedly makes his way over to her and is instantly at her side checking over her.

“What’s wrong? You ok? The baby?” He’s firing questions at her faster than her sleep addled mind could process. 

“The baby’s fine. I’m fine.” She assures him, too tired to fight his hands checking over her protectively. “It was just a nightmare.” She admits, wiping her eyes from her tears and his panic fades to concern as his eyes soften. She reaches up and grips his hand that’s resting atop her stomach. “I’ll be alright.” 

“I know… you’re strong.” He says, this time gripping her hand back and she smiles shyly at him. “Just worried about you is all.” 

“I know.” She smiles warmly at him as he stands up, letting her hand go and Leti’s ashamed to admit she misses his touch. 

“You try to get some sleep.” He pats her leg comfortingly and goes out in the hallway, leaving the door open. He’s back in a few minutes carrying his pillow and closes the door behind him. He walks over to the closet and grabs a blanket from the top. “I’ll be right here if you need anything.”

She sighs in frustration softly. “Tic… you don’t have to.”

“I know I don’t but I want to.” He said pushing the two chairs together and sitting down before spreading the blanket covering himself and getting comfortable. “You have another nightmare. I’ll be right here.” 

Leti accquises and tries to get comfortable again, her dream still playing in the back of her mind and she turns over to her side. She sits comfortably for a moment before she groans in irritation. 

“You ok?” Tic sits up in concern and Leti can see his eyes scanning the moonlight room for her face. 

“I’m fine. I just have to use the bathroom… again.” She struggles to sit up for a few seconds when she sees Tic begin to get out his chair. “I have it Tic. Thank you.” The smaller woman smiles and finally sits up, rolling herself out of bed. Her stomach is round and sitting so low now it’s hanging a little from underneath her night shirt, the dark line stretching up from her belly button. Tic just watches her intently, in awe of the woman in front of him.

The moon’s shining through the curtains, casting a soft glow across her face and shrouding her large belly in moonlight. Her hand instinctively flew to her stomach, rubbing it gently as she held her back with her other hand. There’s been so many nights he’s dreamt this picture to get him through some of his darkest days in Korea. Seeing  _ her _ swollen and glowing with the light of their child. The circumstances he wished could have been better, but seeing Leti cradle her stomach filled him with more love than he ever thought he could feel, regardless. He smiled warmly as he watched her murmur quietly to her belly as she made her way to the bathroom. 

It’s a few minutes later when Leti waddles her way back into the room, grumbling under her breath. “I’m not sure many more of these bathroom-break-every-couple-hours I can take, Tic. Six months of this bullshit.” She crawls slowly back into bed as he chuckles quietly at her frustration. 

The room goes silent again for a while before Leti groans again and turns over to the other side facing away from the windows. She flops on her back and it’s the most uncomfortable spot she could be in right now. “And now he’s in here running a 100 meter dash.” 

Tic laughed out so loud he had to cover his mouth to stifle it and Leti rolled her eyes. 

“Of course your son would just march to the beat of his own drum.” 

“I think you’re talking about your daughter, Leti.” 

“Please, the way this baby has me eating everything in sight… it’s your big eared boy I’m pushing out in a few months.” The light tone of their banter filled the room for a moment before silence fell between them again. 

“He’s kicking up a storm over here.” Leti groans and pushes herself over on her side. “I don’t know how he’s going at it from the front  _ and _ the back but he’s kicking my ass right now.” She groans again and sighs in frustration, resigning to the fact that she once again wasn’t going to get any sleep tonight. Tic gets up from his spot in the corner and walks over to Leti’s side of the bed and she motions him to sit down next to her, grabbing his hands and she brings them to her lower stomach. 

His hands, warm to the touch, send sparks up her spine and back down to settle between her thighs embarrassingly enough as she moves them across her stomach trying to find the spot where the baby was kicking. When she found it she left them there, Tic’s large hands spanning across her round stomach and she interlaced their fingers tentatively. He squeezed them back and they grinned warmly at each other till the baby's movements settled. 

“Why’s he only calm down when you rub him?” She asks pouting playfully, knowing the one thing Tic loved the most now was feeling his growing child move, and the baby knows it. This being a common occurrence since Tic moved back home and into the boarding house with Leti and Ruby last month. 

“Because she knows her daddy’s here to protect her and her Mama.” He couldn’t believe he was going to be a Father and if he was being truly honest with himself, he wouldn’t want anyone else to be the Mother of his child. The reality of the situation knocked him off his feet every time. He loved Leti, he knew that now. Why did it take him so long plus her dying and coming back for him to be able to realize it? She was hurt in all the ways he was, that’s what brought them together as kids. Two people trying to take the lemons they were dealt and make lemonade. As adults, they faced monsters literal and figurative and lost greatly together at each other’s sides. They understood each other in ways most people can’t understand. Their seemingly flawless ability to have full conversations without speaking a word, to feel their wants and needs of the other without even being in physical contact. 

The coming together of these two broken but beautiful souls created light in areas that was once shrouded with darkness. They weren’t going to repeat their parent’s mistakes. They were going to be better in every way of the word. Instinctively he leans in and presses a soft kiss to her belly button, his lips warm and Leti shutters, clearly not expecting the gesture and she feels her eyes sting with tears. 

“I’m so sorry I tried to keep this from you.” She sniffled and wiped her eyes. “Ruby was right. Here you are sleeping in corners to watch me at night and I-” 

“Leti… Leti.” Tic shushes her tears and pulls their interlaced hands closer to him. “You thought you were protecting me. That I was running from you and you were trying to protect yourself. I understand that now and while I don’t necessarily agree... it doesn’t matter now. What matters is that I’m here now and I’m not going anywhere, ok?” He looked into her eyes sincerely and pressed a kiss to their knuckles as she nodded. “You’re going to give birth to our healthy baby and we will do everything in our power to be what this baby needs.” 

Silence fell between them again for a moment and Tic began to get up and walk over to the chair in the corner.

“Tic…” She spoke up gently and he turned back around to face her, seeing her patting the spot on the bed next to her. “If you’re gonna insist on being in my room to watch vigil over me while I sleep… you might as well be comfortable in the bed. Or about as comfortable as your kid let's me.” 

“You sure, Leti?” 

“Tic, if you don’t get over here.” She laughs. “Sleeping together is how we got into this in the first place. Sharing a bed should be nothing.” She’s got a point so he shrugs and makes his way to crawl into the bed next to Leti as she struggles to find a comfortable spot. He remembers back when Aunt Hippolyta was pregnant with Dee and his heart clenched when he thinks of Uncle George. Wishing his uncle was there to see him become a Father himself. He grabs his pillow and places it underneath Leti’s stomach and she sighs in relief. 

“I remember Uncle George used to do that when Aunt Hippolyta was pregnant with Dee, and always seemed to help her sleep.” Along with a few other things, but he wasn’t going to mention that. 

“Thank you… for all this.” Leti started when she noticed Tic’s face muddled in confusion in the moonlight that cast light across the both of them now. 

“Leti, I’ll always come back for you. Whether you were having my baby or not, ok?” He watched her close her eyes briefly and take a deep breath, seemingly trying to handle her emotions and nodded her head in understanding. 

“We should probably start thinking of names…” Leti propped her head up on her hand to see Tic better as she spoke.

“I guess you're right.” The reality of this becoming real grows with each passing day and he heard Leti ‘hmm’ in agreement with his statement. 

“If it's a boy like you think… I wanna name him after Uncle George.” Tic looked at Leti with nervous eyes like she was going to ignore his statement and he sighed in relief when she nodded her head in agreeance. 

“I was thinking the same.” She grabs his hand that has come to rest on her stomach now, stopping it from gently rubbing over it back and forth; the motion relaxing her to sleep. The look he gives her tells her that it means the world to him, she was going to name him George for the same reason. “We can call him Lil George.” Leti smiles and settles further under the covers. “I was thinking if it’s a girl, like you and Ruby think… I like Ava.” 

He nods his head looking as if he’s mulling it over in his head for a second trying it out. “I like that a lot…” He smiles warmly at Leti and begins rubbing her belly again. This time Leti welcomes the soothing gesture. “So George Freeman II or Ava Freeman?”

Leti responds by humming softly, her eyes drooping heavy with sleep. “Lil George and Ava.” She mumbles as her eyes slip shut as the room is filled with the soft sounds of her breathing, causing him to chuckle softly at her sleepy mumbling. It was only a matter of time before the sounds lulled him to sleep too.

~~~

Later that night when Ruby’s coming in late from another gig, she makes her normal stop past her sister’s room to check on her on her way back to her room for the night.

She doesn’t bother knocking anymore, Leti’s such a hard sleeper now that she wouldn’t hear a drum solo if you put the set next to her head. Cracking the door open slowly the light from the hallway slowly illuminated the bed as she pushed the door open further, what she wasn’t expecting was for her sister to have company. 

Ruby couldn’t not admit that the picture warmed her heart, but also took her for a loop at the same time. This was her baby sister, and she felt like she was intruding on an intimate moment. The light cast from the hallway showed her very pregnant sister and her baby’s father fast asleep, both of them lightly snoring their chests rising and falling in alternating rhythms. Leti’s arm was strewn across Tic’s chest, his arm stretched across her waist with a protective hand curling around her lower stomach. She smiled warmly at the look of serenity on her sister’s face before slowly closing the door. She doesn’t know how many times she has to remind Leti... Big Sis is always right. 

~~~~~~

Tic had started working at the Travel Guide shop full time once he moved back. He had worked out that he wouldn’t start going on trips until after the baby was born, giving him and Leti the time they needed to prepare and get used to the idea of being new parents. The days grew shorter and nights turned longer and colder and as winter came around the corner and the furnace running in the corner created a soft humming noise. 

So while Tic was at work, Leti was left at home nesting during the last couple months of her pregnancy. She was coming up to the final stretch and she was tired. Tired all the time in general but also tired of being pregnant. She hasn’t seen her own feet for months and her back was always aching. But most importantly, she was ready to meet Lil George. She had felt him rolling around in there for the last seven and half months and wondered what he would look like. Would his personality be like Tic’s or like hers? Maybe them both? The idea of Motherhood filled her with a feeling that felt foreign, something akin to happiness but greater. She couldn’t really explain it. 

So she’s spending her afternoon like she has been every weekday for the past month, sitting in the chair in her room reading a book from the pile Tic has left her to keep her busy while he’s at work. Leti’s taken it upon herself, after realising one afternoon, that Lil George settles for long periods of time when she reads aloud, allowing her the only times of rest throughout the course of the day. 

She’s startled when Ruby opens her door and smiles standing in the doorway with a sly smile. “Good to see you’re up. How’s my niece?” 

Leti rolls her eyes and creases the corner of the page she was reading. “Your nephew is fine.” She smiles and Ruby scoffs before coming in the room and closing the door behind her. She walks around the room and runs her hand along the baby's crib. “What you up too?” 

Ruby smirks before zeroing in on her sister, cocking her head to the side inquisitively. “What’s goin’ on with you and Tic?” 

Leti lets out a nervous laugh before disguising it with a scoff. “Ruby, what are you talking about?” She rests both of her hands on her stomach before taking a look at her sister. “There’s nothing going on with me and Tic outside of this.” She nods towards her stomach. 

Ruby cocks her head to the opposite side before walking up behind her sister and leaning over her into her ear. “So… I haven't been seeing him tip toe out your room in the early hours of the morning? And it wasn’t him I saw you all snuggled up with asleep?” She teases.

The look on Leti’s face is comical, her eyes bulged wide for a moment before she gave in. “There really is nothing, Ruby. He sleeps in here to make sure the baby and me are ok.” 

“Mhmm…” Ruby walks over to the bed and sits on the edge, looking at her sister closer; still not believing a single word. “You mean ok or  _ ok _ ?” She asks, raising her eyebrows and Leti laughs. Her large round stomach moved with her.

“I’m not fucking him, Ruby.” Leti sighs and Ruby notices she kind of deflates a bit before she opens up. “Not since the baby happened. He hasn’t even kissed me. It’s killing me.” She puts her head in her hands and groans. Ruby’s laugh filled the room and Leti groaned louder. 

“Just tell him, Leti.” Ruby scoffed like it was the most obvious thing in the world. “I mean, it’s not like he’s not interested.” She pointed to the younger woman’s stomach.

“And say what exactly?” 

“Just sit on his lap.” The older sister can barely get it out and Leti throws the pillow from the other chair at her sister. 

“I got a bit much going on for that right now, Ruby.” She sighs and looks up to the sky. “I don’t even know if he wants to or anything. Everything in me is saying he’s just being honest by being here to take care of his kid.”

“Leti…” Ruby’s eyes soften when she hears her sister’s resignation. “That man loves you too. He’s just… scared right now. Everything’s still so fresh.” 

“I don’t know what for! I’m already pregnant. What could happen now?” Leti throws her hands up in frustration. 

“Twins.” The look on Leti’s face is priceless when she whips her head towards her older sister, her face turning serious.

“Don’t joke like that.” She bites out and Ruby falls back to her bed in laughter when they hear a loud knock on the door. 

Leti invites them in and it’s Tic, sweaty and slightly greasy still from another day in the shop and both of their faces light up when they see each other. Ruby rolls her eyes at how two people could be any more obvious to everyone but themselves.

He smiles warmly and Leti blushes when he walks into the room and presses a soft kiss to her cheek. She smiles this grin that shows all her teeth and Tic leans into her stomach, placing his hand on it momentarily. “Hey, Leti. Ruby.” He nods his head in Ruby’s direction and she smiles back at him, nodding back. 

“How’s my two favorite girls?” Turning his attention back to Leti and beginning to massage her shoulders as she groaned in relief at the muscles in her neck loosening. He couldn’t wipe the grin off his face when he felt her relax underneath his touch. His dreams have been so vivid lately of a little girl with a big smile and personality to match just like her Mama. 

Leti rolled her eyes playfully but fought hard to keep her groans to a minimum as Tic made his way further down her back. “Everyone’s fine.” He had made his way to a particular knot and started applying a bit more pressure. She couldn’t help this one out that slipped and Ruby took this as her queue to head out. 

“I’ll see  _ y’all _ later.” She smiled, batting her eyelashes sarcastically at her little sister as she made her way out the room. 

“What’s going on with her?” He questioned once the door closed, continuing his mission down the length of Leti’s back; knowing it’s been a problem area for her as her pregnancy advanced. 

“Ruby being Ruby.” 

He shrugged, not really wanting pry further. “You been readin?” Motioning his head towards the pile of books next to her chair. 

“When have I  _ ever _ not taken your book suggestions seriously?” 

“True.” 

She motions her hands as if she rests her case and the two fall silent for a moment, just enjoying their moments alone between the two of them. 

“Baby really likes horror. I read Cthulhu earlier and he slept so long I got a two hour nap.” 

“My kid’s got taste. What can I say?” He leans in and presses a kiss to the top of her head. “You hungry? I can go get you something before I get in the shower.” 

Her eyes lit up. “Now that you mention it. Hippolyta brought over some lemon cream pound cake earlier when she came by with stuff for me and the baby. I’ve been thinking about another slice for hours now.” 

“I’ll be right back.” He smiled before heading back out and Leti let out a sigh of relief. This damn baby had her practically humping the air for friction at this point and she knew the lower Tic got into her back muscles, there would have been an accident. She’s not too sure how much longer her and Tic were planning on tip toeing around the topic of them outside of their child. She didn’t want to just co-parent with him, she wanted a family. She wanted him. Maybe Ruby was right. Her thoughts were interrupted when he came back into the room with a slice of cake and a glass of milk and set it down next to her. 

“I’m gonna go get in the shower and I’ll be right back. Won’t be but a few minutes.”

“I don’t know how many times I have to tell you, you don’t have to sit underneath me all day when you get home.” Leti states around a mouth full of pound cake and rolls her eyes. “I’m not made of glass…” 

“You are to me.” Tic cuts in seriously, looking directly into her eyes and suddenly Leti’s finding it difficult to swallow. His stare is intense and reaches in and grabs hold of her, her conversation with Ruby sparking a newfound confidence in her and she puts her plate down. So when he turns from her to head to the bathroom, Leti reaches out and grabs his hand pulling him back towards her. He’s searching her eyes for something wrong when she pulls him down towards her. Reaching up with both hands she pulls his face to hers, capturing his lips in a deep gentle kiss. 

When they separate they sit there for a moment, foreheads pressed together and they smile warmly at each other. Neither of them say anything, words seem to fail between the two and Tic just reaches in and presses another quick kiss to her lips before heading back out to the bathroom. 

He closes the door behind him gently and Leti drops her head back in her chair, staring out the window into the wintry afternoon and grinned to herself and sighed. Giddy with the feeling in her gut and this time she was sure it wasn’t Lil George, reaching back over to resume eating her pound cake. She was gonna be  _ so _ pissed if Tic ate the rest of this tonight. 

~~~~

Tic has come to live for these moments, late at night when he has his arms wrapped around Leti protectively. He loved the gentle rise and fall of her breathing when she finally relaxed as he rubbed her belly, soothing their baby enough for her to fall asleep. Leti had kissed him earlier today and his mind wouldn’t stop playing it on a loop. 

He had racked his mind for months as to how to approach this, the elephant that stood in between them ever since he came and learned he was about to be a Father. But that kiss... it tasted like the lemon cream cake she was eating but on her lips it tasted divine. He wanted to give her the world, if she’d let him. The fact that this had been her first time experience made him feel like he took something special from her. Leti deserved the world and then some, he planned to do everything in his power to be the person she could rely on. 

“What are you thinking about?” She whispers and runs her fingers gently up his arm, bringing him out of his thoughts. Leti’s looking into his eyes with this soft smile, her hair wrapped in a scarf and he’s never thought she’s looked more beautiful than she does now. 

“You. This.” He stated honestly and Leti looks surprised for a moment before her eyes soften and reaches up to trace along his face. “Us.” He admits finally and she runs her thumb gently across his bottom lip, he presses a gentle kiss to it. 

“Me too.” She admits softly and he reaches up to cup her face, they stay there for a moment just taking in each other in the silence of the little bubble they created within her bedroom and nothing matters more than this moment between them right now. 

“What are we doing, Tic?” The look on her face makes him close his eyes briefly, shame and hurt hitting him like a truck that he could make her question his motives. 

“I don’t want my child to not have a family, Leti.” He admits softly. “Ever since I found out I was gonna be a Daddy, I thought a lot about my childhood. How I could be different from Pop. If I was gonna screw this kid up. But then I realized that being with you… this?” He rubbed her protruding belly that was between them gently. “Was the most important thing. This was my chance to show myself I’m not like him…” 

“Don’t you ever think you’re like him.” Leti cuts him off sternly. “The fact that you’re even worried shows you aren’t.” The look she gives him makes him soar, like he’s flying and he realizes that this has always been every single moment with Leti. Since they were children, she made him feel  _ seen _ when no one else seemed to be paying attention and she  _ heard _ him when no one else listened.

“I never wanted this with anyone else. I still don’t.” He states, presses his forehead to hers for a moment before he leans in and kisses her, this one long and slow. And Leti groans deep from the back of her throat and pulls him in closer, deepening the kiss. He takes the queue and grips her leg, pulling up across his and settling his thigh between hers. His breath is taken away when he feels her on his thigh, dampening his pajama pants from her wetness. 

She gasps a breathless “Please…” against his lips and all his resolve breaks. In a flash he’s pulling her nightgown up and over her head and she’s wearing nothing but panties underneath, her breasts full and heaving now with her pregnancy as she pants. He wastes no time reaching between them and pulling her panties off too. They’re ruined and Leti’s hips start undulating out of her control and Tic has to kiss her deeply to muffle her moan when he finally touches her where she needs him most. 

Her eyes flutter in the back of her head as he gently explores her wet folds and he can’t muffle her cry out when he starts to apply pressure to her pearl. She grips the back of his neck when he starts to make expert figure eights across her, her slickness making the action effortless and her insides are coiling faster than anything she’s experienced before. 

Her pregnancy makes what he wants to do a little difficult right now so he settles on option two. Dipping underneath the covers, he doesn’t even care anymore about what it sounds like when Leti cries his name out loudly a few minutes later when he makes first contact. She’s the sweetest thing he’s ever tasted and when she grabs his head in place, going rigid with her orgasm not even moments later; he figures there’s absolutely nothing in this world he wouldn’t do for Letitia Lewis and their unborn child. 

~~~~

Leti’s still floating on Cloud Nine when she sees Ruby in the kitchen the next afternoon and her sister takes one good look at her and laughs. 

“How’d you sleep?” She struggles to keep a straight face and Leti rolls her eyes as she finishes the last slice of pound cake Tic so graciously left for her. She is  _ madly _ in love with that man, it’s never been more clear. Her mind wandered back to the night before and felt herself flush and grow warm. 

She’s off in her head for a moment when a dish towel hits her in the chest. “Leti? Do you hear me talking to you?” 

“I’m sorry, Ruby. What did you say?” She blinks a few times to bring her out of her thoughts as she finishes the last few bites. And the taller woman kisses her teeth. 

“Never mind. Talking to Tic must’ve gone well cause you're all giddy and shit.” Leti couldn’t stop the blush that flushed her cheeks and the shy smile that crosses her face. So she distracts herself by taking her plate to the sink and washing it.

“We did.” Is all she says and Ruby’s convinced if she rolls her eyes any harder, they’d get stuck.

“And?” Ruby motions her hands urging for Leti to continue and groans loudly in frustration when her sister continues to stay mute, moving about the kitchen putting her dishes away in the cabinet. “You know, for someone who normally can't stop running they mouth… you sure are quiet now.”

Leti doubled over as much as her stomach would allow as she burst out in laughter, leaning on the kitchen sink for support as she clutched her stomach. She took a deep breath trying to ease her laughter when Tic walked in, rubbing his hands together from the frigid air outside.

“What’s so funny?” He asks, smiling and crosses the kitchen to Leti’s side. Ruby watches the two intently as he walks up to stand beside her and they share a warm smile. Her eyes widen when Tic leans down to press a kiss to Leti’s lips and she reaches up with her hand to keep him there for a moment before stepping away. 

“You’re making me cold.” She scrunches her nose adorably and he leans in again to press another kiss to her lips that makes her blush, his hand never leaving the small of her back when she hears Ruby clear her throat.

“Guess that answers my question.” Ruby mumbles under her breath and turns her attention to Tic, her face turning deadly serious and points at him. “You better do right by my sister and niece, Atticus. I’ll get our big brother to beat your ass!” 

“Please, Ruby...” Leti scoffs and rolls her eyes, laughing sarcastically. “Marvin hasn’t said a damn thing since I told him outside of ‘Congratulations’ and that was months ago.” 

“He’ll still beat his ass if I tell him to.” Ruby glares at her sister, then turns her attention back on Tic. “I mean it, Tic.”

Tic smiles rubs the small of Leti’s back comfortingly and the grin beaming off Leti would light up all of Chicago. “You have my word, Ruby.” 

~~~~

Tic was working her very last nerve. 

Leti meant that in the nicest possible way though. He was everything that a doting father and boyfriend should be and everything that a pain in Leti’s ass could be. He wouldn’t let her do anything now. She’s nearing the finish line of her pregnancy, and now sitting rounder than she ever thought possible a little past eight months. Her doctor  _ and _ Tic continuously repeating ‘any day now’ to her, like she wasn’t aware of the entire human spending most of his day playing kickball with her intestines. 

Exhausted couldn’t even describe what she was feeling. 

She wanted nothing more than to sleep but Lil George was on a rampage on her insides currently. Tic had made her dinner, ran her a bath and was currently bringing her leftovers from dinner because she was starving again. Why couldn't she go get it herself? Because Tic… that’s why. 

She couldn’t get up on her own. She couldn’t bath on her own. She couldn’t make her own food. Tic wouldn’t even let her take the stairs by herself. According to him he’s seen her stumble one too many times for his liking and the elevator was broken, again. Although her feet killed her most days so being carried up the stairs, while a bit much was still appreciated. But right as she felt herself get irritated again, he walks in carrying a plate and wearing this dopey ass smile like he lives to please at her request and she probably will never get used to the way her heart stutters when she remembers he’s actually  _ hers _ . 

He passes her the plate with a kiss, he takes every opportunity these days to do so and crawls into bed next to her. Tic moved into her bedroom a few weeks ago and Leti would be the first to admit she loved falling asleep and waking up to him. He was everything she had ever dreamed of, even when he did get on her nerves which was often. She knew that protecting what he cared about was one of the ways he showed his love. It’s one of the things she loves about him, that fierce love and protection of her made her feel safe. The safest she’s felt since she was a little girl. The bed shifts as he settles in for the night, a new book perched in his hand and his glasses sitting on his nose as he waits for her to finish eating. She smiles watching him warmly as she finishes her food. He hasn’t so much as complained not once, falling into this role with ease. Seemingly reveling in the position of loving father, provider  _ and _ boyfriend. Leti was grateful. 

The pending arrival of their child halted the madness temporarily that surrounded them. Both of them ultimately decided together, that getting the baby here safely first was the most important task and focus on protecting their family afterwards. When she finishes she places the plate on her bedside and turns back over to curl into Tic’s side. He doesn’t really pay much attention as he lifts his arm, letting Leti get comfortable before wrapping his arm around her and turning the page with his free hand. His eyes never leave the page, but he does squeeze her into his side comfortingly. 

“I only have a page left of this chapter and I’ll take it to the kitchen.” 

“Don’t worry about it.” She whispers into his chest and he leans in to press a kiss to her head. “Just lay with me like this please?” Tic feels himself start to get warm when he feels her leg cross over his, entwining their legs and if he was honest he’d admit that he was loving how clingy she would get at night now. The little nest they’ve built in their shared bedroom now harbored all the truths they could only speak with each other. The real fears and victories they’ve faced together. The darkness and tribulations they’ve faced separately and everything in between. If these walls could talk they would tell tales of adventure and sorrow, of darkness and of light. They found solace in these four walls that held their growing family. This little bubble that held their entire world, was the most  _ important _ thing in the world to him now. How he felt about Leti and the child that fate had created, had brought everything into perspective for him. 

He had focused so much time and effort on trying to figure things out and run from his own demons that he led her in direct fire and Leti being Leti, followed right beside him. Guns blazing and  _ always _ had, even when he broke her heart over and over. He had hurt her repeatedly, he knew that now. He never wanted to, but he was blind to his own hurt and hers; and she had borne the brunt of it. The push and pull got tiring and her being exhausted of continuously taking the initiative, stepped back. Making him have to prove to her that he wanted this as well, and that had led to...well this. 

He doesn’t exactly have the  _ best _ track record. 

But for Leti, he would do anything and everything and their child? He would burn the world to the ground if it meant she’d be ok and he would die trying to prove it to her. He had left Leti in the dark too long and he almost missed this. These moments with her, falling asleep curled into his side, soft kisses and gentle caresses, breathless gasps and moans as he slips inside of her. 

In his life he’s experienced more hurt and pain than one could bear. Has seen and done some terrible things in his quest to escape the darkness that seems to follow him at every turn. But in Leti, he found his true equal. Someone who saw that shadow because she had one of her own and loved him despite it. Leti was special, she always has been. Her smile was his guiding light. 

And out of all of this world’s ugly… she was the most perfect thing in it. 

~~~~

“Alright, Letitia. Everythin’ is looking great, chere!” Dr. Christophe Delacroix, was one of Chicago’s six colored Obstetricians. Moving to Chicago from the bayous of Louisiana with his wife Jacqueline about six years prior, had come highly recommended from her tenants with him birthing two out of the three children that currently lived in the boarding house. He turns to Leti once he pulls off his gloves with a big smile and Leti looks less than pleased. 

“I swear to all that is holy, if you tell me any day now…” Leti warned through her teeth, she was  _ so _ over being pregnant. She wants this baby out, and like two weeks ago. ‘Any day now’ is not fast enough. 

“Don’t mind her.” Tic interrupts sitting next to her, cutting Leti a glare and rubbing her belly gently. “She’s just anxious to meet her.” 

“I’ve heard worse, believe you me.” Dr. Delacroix starts to pack up his medical bag. “Any issues?-”

“You mean besides the fact this baby is still in here?” Leti grunts out as she tries to sit herself up. 

“I know you’re tired, Letitia. The final stretch, always be the worst.” He grins at her and she huffs irritatedly. “But you’re full term now. Labor really can start any day now..” Leti sighs frustratedly and he laughs before he continues. “Physical activity helps with speeding up the process. Walks are nice when it’s not too cold, dancing, stuff like that.” He buttons up his coat and picks up his bag. 

“Now, if you start to feel those contractions you call me right away. Me and Jacqueline only stay about a few blocks up, we’ll come right on by and get you set up. Ya’ll take care.” 

Leti gives him a tight smile when Tic stands up to shake his hand and walk him out to the door. She hears Tic talking to Dr. Delacroix downstairs and she decides to put her plan into action. She rolls herself out of the bed and walks over to the floor length mirror in the corner of the bedroom. It’s surreal, still, to her. The way her body has grown and shifted to house this human she couldn’t wait to meet. Pulling her nightgown over her head she examined her body in the mirror, gently cradling her large stomach that sat low on her tiny frame. She looked like she was about to pop. 

_ Hell... I feel like I’m gonna fuckin’ pop. _

She leans down and whispers to her stomach. “Hey, so I know you’re all comfy and warm in there but uhh… you can come on now.” She rubs her belly when what feels like a rather hard kick in her lower back. “Ok… ok. I’m just excited to be ya’ mommy. You just take ya’ time then.” She gasps when a tiny foot stretches against her belly before disappearing just as quickly as it showed up and she bites back a groan when she feels her hips start to shift again. Something Dr. Delacroix warned her would start happening the closer she got to her due date. If she could describe what this felt like, the words swollen and round would be the first two she mentioned. She was certain that her body couldn’t stretch anymore than it was doing right now. 

Tic walks back in the room now and stops in his tracks when he sees Leti standing in front of the mirror. He’s a bit ashamed to feel himself harden a bit in his slacks as he looks her over from behind, her hips wide and curved with the swell of his child and closes the door behind him. After making sure the door was locked, he crosses the room to stand behind Leti; his large arms circling around her naked body. Resting his hands on top of hers cradling her stomach and pressing a kiss to her neck, when she instantly relaxes and drops her neck back to his chest. 

“You’re so damn beautiful, Leti.” Her eyes close when he says it and he grips her hands tighter. They stay resting against each other for a moment when she lets out another low groan at the baby once again shifting around. 

“Hell...” Leti rolls her eyes and laughs playfully. “I can’t get two solid hours of peace out of this boy if I’m not reading!” He chuckles and rubs her belly gently.

“We can go for that walk, Dr. Delacroix was talking about?” Tic turns her around in his arms to look at her. His eyebrows raise when Leti gets this mischievous look on her face. 

“You lock the door?” She asks and he instantly knows where she’s headed. 

“Leti…” He warns. 

“I’m not hearing it, Tic. I want him here and I can’t stretch like this no more, I’m tired.” She whines and waddles across the room herself to check the door and he has to stifle his laughter. Kissing her teeth and shoots a look at him from over her shoulder, realizing the door was locked. “Strip.” She demands and looks at him expectantly. 

It takes him a minute to process for a moment, blinking a few times and cocking his head to the side. Leti only stares back at him and blinks, her hand on her hip and tapping her bare foot on the floor. Her toenails painted a bright red courtesy of him just a few nights ago. 

“You gonna come over here or should I get started myself and hope you join in?” She rolls her eyes and well… yeah Tic isn’t going to look a gift horse in the mouth.

He crosses the room in two large steps and grabs her face with both hands, kissing her deeply. Their tongues gently caressed as he backed her up towards the usual dresser in the corner and she unfastened his belt. They only separate for him to pull his shirt over his head and Leti pounces. Kissing him again deeply when she unzipped his pants, reaching in immediately to grab him and he groans loudly. He flips her around and she braces herself, grabbing the corners of the dresser. He’s stepping out of his boxers and takes a minute to look at her, knowing it’s pissing her off and chuckles when he hears her huff impatiently. 

She whips her head around and stares at him, her eyes low and dark as she widens her stance and presses back against him. She’s whining now, low from the back of her throat and he relents reaching down between her thighs. His eyes flutter when she gasps breathlessly and she’s so slick it makes his head spin. Lining up and coating himself, he grits his teeth as he slips inside her with ease in swift motion. The breathless gasp of his name continues as she meets him time for time with his strokes. Their fingers link over her belly as he drives her higher, her thighs trembling and he’s pressing soft kisses to her neck when she finally cries out softly, gasping and shuttering. 

He doesn’t bother to muffle her scream the next round. 

~~~~

The next night Ruby gets home around her usual time after her gig at the nightclub and it’s late enough for the house to be dark besides a few lights in the hallways. She kicks off her heels and begins to take the steps up to her bedroom on the second floor.

On autopilot she’s up the stairs and in her bedroom, going through her regular nighttime routine when she stops off by the bathroom before heading to bed. The doors closed so she knocks and listens for anyone inside when she hears a painful sounding groan. She shrugs and heads for one of the other bathrooms when she hears the groan again and a sharp gasp she whips her head back around towards the door, she’d know that gasp of pain anywhere. “Leti?” She hisses. 

Leti gasps in relief. “Ruby, get Tic.” She grits out and Ruby darts down the hallway to their room, knocking on their door quickly announcing her presence. 

“Tic. Tic get up, it’s Leti.” Ruby walks in and starts to shake him awake. He’s up instantly after a few shakes and switches the light on next to the bed and puts his glasses. He’s up and out of the bed faster than Ruby can blink as he rushes past her to the bathroom Leti was in. “Corner bath.”

“What’s wrong?” He asks alarmed over his shoulder and Ruby shakes her head. 

“She just said to get you.”

“Leti?” He wiggles the door knob. “Leti open the door.” 

She opens the door and her nightgown has a large wet spot between her legs and it’s twinged pink. “Call Dr. Delacroix.” 

~~~~

She’s sitting in the large bathroom’s tub in the warm bath water just a few hours later. 

Tic’s behind her with a cold washcloth, wiping her forehead with one hand and gripping her hand through another contraction. “Damn, Leti. You got one hell of a grip.” He jokes and Leti laughs out desperately in pain. 

“Don’t make me laugh.” She whines before she grits her teeth. 

“Ya’ lookin great, chere.” Dr. Delacroix grins and he passes his gloves to Jacqueline, who disposes of them in the trash. “Ya fully dilated and this baby is already crowning-”

“I can fucking feel it! Can I  _ please _ push?” She begs as she grits her teeth harder as another contraction hits her. “Hellllll” She screams and Tic’s lost all feeling in his left hand, just like that. 

“Atticus, help her up on her knees. It’ll help with the pushing. Ya don’t wanna be back here. You’ll never look at it the same.” He chuckles when his wife slaps the back of his head. 

Tic helps Leti up on her knees and presses a kiss to her sweaty forehead. “You’re doing so good baby.” 

“Don’t  _ fuckin _ patronize me, Tic.” Leti grits out and groans loudly as she rocked back on her knees. “Shut up!” 

“It might be best to be a silent partner.” Jacqueline states from setting up the cleaning station for the baby’s arrival. “Don’t take it personal, dear. Every woman gets… agitated during childbirth.” 

“Ok, Letitia. Whenever you’re ready.”

“I’ve been fuckin ready for the last hour.” She hollers out as she pushes, gritting her teeth as she feels her insides shift and the head slips past her hips. Tic just sits back in amazement. He always knew Leti was formidable, people consistently underestimating her and her abilities. He never considered  _ he _ would be one of those people until now, watching her strength on full display by bringing their child into the world. 

“Good Letitia. The heads out, one more big push like that to get the shoulders out and we’re home free.” Dr. Delacroix fixed himself behind her with his wife standing besides him with a blanket ready for the baby. 

Leti screams this time, feeling the shoulders stretch her painfully for a moment before she felt the quick relief of the baby slip the rest of the way out in a rush of fluid into the bath. The room is silent for a moment before a sharp cry fills the room and Dr. Delacroix smiles proudly, cutting the cord and passing the baby off to his wife. 

“It’s a boy.” 

Leti lets out a sob. “I told you, Tic.” She gasps out in pain and she groans again, another contraction hitting her and her head spins. Tic’s brought out of his tear filled daze of watching his newborn son being cleaned up and checked out when he hears it. 

“I have... to push.. again.” She grits out. 

Dr. Delacroix’s eyes widen and he rushes back over to the tub and checks Leti again. “Ok, so no alarm…” He starts off and goes to double check once more and gently presses on Leti’s abdomen gently. “There’s another head.”

“The hell did you just tell me!” 

“Say what now?” 

Leti and Tic both respond respectively and he prepares for the second delivery. “Musta been hidin behind the boy.” He states. “When you’re ready again.” 

“You are  _ never _ fuckin touchin me again!” She growls at Tic through another contraction. This one grips her and she cries out. “Tic, I can’t do this again.” 

He grabs her face and presses kisses to her brow. “Yes, you can. You know why? Because Letitia Fuckin Lewis can do this. She doesn’t get scared, remember? You’re the bravest and strongest person this world made. Stronger than me. So… you’re gonna bring our second baby into this world because we’re staking our claim in it, right?” He nods towards her and she steels her breath through another contraction, gritting her teeth and nodding her head confidently. 

“Ok.” She grits her teeth again and bears with all her might, the second time easier than the first. It’s only a few minutes later when she feels the head and shoulders slip past her hips and into Dr. Delacroix’s hands. Another sharp cry fills the room and Leti collapses into the tub, exhausted. 

“And a girl.” 

Tic’s breath catches and he feels his eyes prick with tears, he doesn’t bother wiping them when he helps Leti turn over in the tub and starts pressing soft kisses to her face. He can’t stop repeating “thank you” over and over through his tears. 

~~~~

The news of the unexpected Freeman  _ duo  _ spread faster than Leti’s pregnancy did. George and Ava Freeman were born only 5 minutes apart and were nothing but perfect. 

George, weighing a little over 5lb 5oz and Ava, a tiny thing at 4lbs 20oz both with twenty little fingers and toes and heads full of thick wisps of dark brown curls. They’re sitting in their bed encapsulated in their own tiny world for the time being. Hippolyta and Dee were over as soon as Ruby called with the news that Leti had given birth. 

Hippolyta was beside herself meeting the twins and couldn’t stop the tears and from pressing a sweet kiss to his son’s head when she heard his name. There wasn’t really a dry eye in the room and Dee gave Leti a tearful hug at the tribute to her late Father. Ruby, like everyone else, was shocked at the news of the twins. But did get a hearty laugh when she held her nephew  _ and _ niece for the first time, falling so in love with their little faces when Leti accused her of passing off the idea of twins to her womb.

Everyone else was currently down stairs making food for everyone while the two new parents were upstairs feeding the twins. Leti’s still getting used to breastfeeding and it takes a minute for Lil’ George to latch on and when he finally does Leti sighs as his little fist wraps around her finger. Tic’s cradling Ava in his hands and has been doing nothing but shifting his gaze between his children, staring as if he saw an entire new world in their tiny faces. The idea of now two newborns instead of the one they were expecting was a shock, to say the least. But he found himself ignited with the love that he was able to feel and it shook him. He was blessed with not one but two more reasons for making this world better and safer. His family: Leti, Lil George and Ava. 

“He looks so much like you.” Leti whispers tearfully, smiling down on the sleepy baby suckling at her chest. 

“Ava… I don’t even think I made her, Leti. Look at these cheeks, that’s all you.” He chuckles as he leans down and presses a soft kiss to her little forehead. She scrunches her forehead before settling back to sleep for the moment. Leti laughs as she turns her head over to Tic, cocking her head to the side playfully.

“She kinda  _ does _ look just like me huh?” She chuckles and Tic smiles and leans over to press a kiss to her lips. “We made some adorable ass kids, Tic.” Lil George gurgled and Tic grabbed the burping blanket with his free hand and they looked at each other, thinking briefly how to pass the babies the best way. 

“We did.” He says as he cradles Ava between his legs when she starts to get fussy, with his hands free, Leti hands Lil George to Tic and goes to grab Ava. Tic presses a kiss to his sons forehead before cradling him like Jacqueline taught him to burp him. Leti cradles Ava to her opposite breast and her daughter latches on instantly, suckling softly. 

“ _ She’s _ gonna be a handful, I can tell already.” Leti laughs softly. “Didn’t need any instructions.” 

“That’s definitely your daughter.” Tic chuckles as Leti rolls her eyes and they sit in silence for a moment. The sounds of Ava’s suckling and Tic’s rhythmic patting of Lil George when he breaks the silence. 

“I love you, Leti.” He states and Leti’s head snaps in his direction. “And… I’m not saying that cause you just had my babies. I loved you before them... way before.” He states confidently, he feels his eyes sting and nods his head, swallowing thickly. “You’re the most important thing to me. Nothing means more to me than this. I just-... wanted you to know that.”

Leti’s smile is full of tears and she’s breathless with his honesty. When she opens her mouth to speak Lil George finally burps and it’s followed by a moment of silence. Leti finally cracks when she starts to snicker before falling into a fit of laughter and Tic follows suit. This slowly became more real than that this was their new reality. Neither of them complained though, it ended up working exactly the way it was supposed to. “I love you, too.” 

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Surprise! There's very little on black childbirth rates and conditions in the 1950s documented because... racism 🥴 So home birth it was and mistakes are all mine. Hope you enjoy and thanks for the comments and kudos! You keep me pushing 💜


	3. The Freeman's

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The twins are growing and Leti and Tic take the next big step, much to the surprise to everyone else. 
> 
> **WARNING ⚠️ **  
> There will be some smut 😈

**_Part Three: The Freeman’s_ **

“You smile for Auntie, Ava?” Hippolyta coos as she bounces a gurgling Ava on her knees, trying her best to get another gummy smile from the baby. Smiling when she lets out a joyous babble, showing her gums as drool dripped down her chin and stuffed her tiny fist into her mouth. Lil George laid perched on his belly on the floor, pushing up on his forearms when he spotted Tic walking in with a full grin holding a bottle. 

“I know you were looking for this.” He smiles when he drops to his knees on the floor next to his son and scoops him up in his arms. 

“You test that first?” His Aunt warns and he nods his head confidently. 

“I cooled it off before I came out here with it.” Tic smiled when he focused back on his son, giving him the bottle and just watched enamored as Lil George’s tiny eyes focused intently on his father’s face. 

“I still can’t believe you have  _ two _ babies, Tic.” Hippolyta looks on Tic in awe. Her nephew holding his son proudly with so much joy etched on his face. Even looking dead tired he never looked anything but utterly happy. She was so glad that he was able to finally get some reprieve from all that sadness. Ava burped again and spit up a little, when she reached for her burping towel to wipe her face. “There’s the rest of that burp, mama.” She smiles warmly at her great-niece. 

She and Tic were at her house watching the twins as they gave Leti a much needed break. Ruby and Dee had accompanied her to the movies and for ice cream, after a couple hours of convincing. And she couldn’t lie, her new favorite pastime was alternating between her great niece and nephew, smothering their adorable faces with kisses. 

“Yeah, me either.” Tic adjusts George in his lap and tilts the bottle up a little higher as the baby greedily sucks the bottle down. “Relax, son. It’s not going anywhere.”

He turns his focus back to his Aunt. “I keep feeling like one day I’m gonna wake up and still be in that bunk in Korea and all this will all be gone.” He sighs, sadness reflected on his face as he thought. “Leti… them. I just end up waking up everyday grateful to see her still next to me and them still in their crib together.” 

Hippolyta smiled warmly at her nephew as he adjusted Lil George on his shoulder to burp him. “Atticus Freeman, you talkin like you love that girl.” She states, laying Ava across her shoulder as the baby was starting to fall asleep. “I hope you not planning to just shack up after giving her  _ two _ of your babies.” Her eyes cut to her nephew expectantly and watched his body language. “They almost six months.” 

Tic’s grateful for the distraction of Lil George across his shoulder to hide his face from his Aunt. His son’s hand is grabbing at the chain around his neck carrying his dog tags, as well as his wedding ring hidden underneath his shirt held as a reminder that his family has been newly sealed for almost three months now. They decided to hold onto the news for a little while and enjoy their time of being a family, officially now. He smiled to himself as if he was holding onto some special knowledge that no, he had never planned to just shack up with Leti. He had always held the intention of giving her his last name and them growing old together, the blessing of the twins just... expedited things. 

“We’re working on that.” He smiled and was grateful for the distraction his son gave when he burped loudly and also settled down for a nap. His Aunt looked at him suspiciously for a moment when Leti, Ruby and Dee walked back into the apartment laughing at the movie when they were instantly shushed. 

“Lil George just went down and Ava went down about fifteen minutes ago.” Tic whispered as he stood up, holding Lil George carefully when Leti made a face before tip toeing in the living room and pressed a quick kiss to Tic’s lips and another kiss to her son’s hand before Tic took him to the playpen in the corner to lay him down. 

Leti walks over to Hippolyta and presses a kiss to her cheek as well, reaching for Ava to take her. She presses a kiss to her sleepy daughter's mess of curls on her head and smiles. “They give y’all any trouble?” She whispers as she walks to the playpen to lay her down next to her brother. 

“Angels as always, Leti.” Hippolyta smiles when she looks over Leti closely as well. A tiny silver chain dangling around her neck as well and the faint purple discoloration of a love mark hidden partially by the straps of her shirt.  _ More like “working” on another one.  _ Her eyebrows raise in suspicion for a moment before deciding to let it go for the time being. “Since they just laid down, you guys might as well stay for lunch.” 

“I could totally eat right now.” Dee pipes up and goes to follow Hippolyta into the kitchen. Leaving Ruby in the living room with the two parents, she noticed Hippolyta looking closely between the two and now was intrigued herself. Tic’s arms are wrapped around Leti’s waist loosely as they spoke intimately amongst themselves. Leti throws her head back in silent laughter as Tic smiles down at her when she places her hand gently in the middle of his chest and she reaches up for a slow gentle kiss. He playfully pats Leti on her butt when she backs away and she turns back to him pointing a playful finger at him. 

“Watch it, Freeman.” Leti grins cheekily when Tic smiles back her feigning innocence. 

“Yeah whatever, Mrs. Freeman.” He half haphazardly whispers and she rolls her eyes playfully, absentmindedly reaching for the necklace secured around her neck, holding her wedding ring as well. Tic reaches into the playpen to run his hands gently over George and Ava’s sleeping heads when Leti walks back over to him to press a kiss to the back of his shoulder. Ruby’s eyes widen in shock. 

“I’ll bring you a plate?” She asks softly and Ruby’s not sure she’s ever seen her sister so subdued and soft before in all her life.  _ Leti’s nose is wide open.  _ The older sister laughed to herself a bit too loudly and ended up making her presence known.

“The babies and your  _ husband _ are fine, Leti.” Ruby stresses and fights to stifle her smirk when Leti’s eyes go wide for a moment, giving her the truth she was looking for. “Let’s go see if Hippolyta needs any help.” 

Leti briefly looks to Tic wide eyed before following behind Ruby to head into the kitchen. Ruby stops short of the kitchen and turns to look at her baby sister who isn’t really a baby anymore. She’s watched her once unreliable and ‘fly-by-the-seat-of-her-pants’ sister mature into a woman she would have a hard time believing was her sister if she hadn’t watched the transformation herself. Motherhood and subsequently the natural ebb and flow of her relationship with Tic, had built this ironclad warrior that was built from chaos and shaped by love. It was beautiful. Ruby couldn’t be more proud. 

“You not slick Letitia Lewis.” Ruby smirked playfully at her sister before acting as if she was checking her nails. “Or should I say… Letitia  _ Freeman _ ?” 

Leti jumps quickly and covers Ruby’s mouth with her hand, shushing her. “Keep your voice down!” She hisses and Ruby pushes her off of her while trying to keep her laughter low enough to not raise alert to their conversation. 

“Why I always gotta catch you in shit for information, Leti?” Ruby questions, shaking her head. “You can’t just be normal and tell people things?” 

“When it’s their damn business, yes.” Leti challenges her sister with a raised eyebrow. 

“Oh so it’s not my business now?” Ruby crosses her arms over her chest and looks to her younger sister. “I’ll remember that when you ask me to babysit for one of you and Tic’s date nights again.” 

“Oh I don’t mean it like  _ that _ , Ruby.” Leti sighs frustratedly. “We were gonna let everyone know. Sue me, for wanting to stew in my new little family for a while first.” 

The taller woman softens a bit, eyes warm looking over her sister. “You don’t have to explain yourself to me. You grown.” She throws her hands up in surrender. “But it’s not me who’s gone have the issue. You know Hippolyta is gonna have a fit.” 

Leti runs her hand through her hair and sighs again. “I know. Tic told me she was pestering him about marrying me before we got here.” She puts her hands on her hips, her mind muddled in thought. “We’re gonna have to tell folks sooner or later.”

“You gone owe her a wedding party at least.” Ruby nudges her shoulder playfully when Leti blushes. “So where’s the ring?” Leti smiles and pulls the chain out of her shirt, revealing a simple silver band before tucking the chain back in her shirt. “I’m so proud of you, Leti.” 

Leti chuckled at her older sister in disbelief. “For what?” 

“You. Managing the boarding house, a mother to twins… a  _ wife _ .” She whispers the last part and Leti smiles, rolling her eyes playfully. “I  _ never _ thought you’d grow up, but here you are in a little over a year. I’m just... proud of you.”

“I’m not sure if I should say thank you or be offended.” 

“Thank you would suffice.” Ruby rolls her eyes when Leti laughs and grabs her arm pulling her towards the kitchen. The taller woman stops again and looks at her younger sister squinting at her smugly. “You might wanna tell your husband to watch where he puts his love bites  _ or _ you could just learn to cover them better, sis.” 

She nods to the spot on Leti’s neck that was haphazardly covered by the strap of her top. Leti’s hand immediately goes to the spot on her neck and goes to grab her purse. 

“Hell… I’ll be right back.” 

~~~

Later that night when Leti was getting ready for bed, she slipped her wedding ring onto her ring finger and found herself lost in thought. 

It’s been three months since that Friday afternoon when Tic had forgone going to work that day and had suggested they pack up their family of four and drive to Gary, Indiana to spend the afternoon and to Leti’s later surprise, stop by the courthouse for their marriage papers. They sat by the dock talking for a couple hours with the twins nestled in their strollers as they fed them little spoonfuls of their ice cream cones and laughing at their delighted squeals at the sweet treat as the days had started to grow a bit hotter as summer swung into full gear. 

She was finishing up changing Lil George when she turned back around to face her boyfriend when he presented her with her ring, apologizing with tears in his eyes for doing this backwards and wanting to get her a better ring but adamant on wanting her to be his wife since they were sixteen. An hour and a half later they were standing in a small courthouse, each holding the opposite twin and promising to love and honor the other till death did they part. It was quiet and unconventional, but then again nothing between them ever was conventional. 

To Leti, it was perfect because at the end of the day… she was already his in every way  _ but _ name and she had what she needed, their children and him. A mixed combination of undeclared love and fate had created her greatest gifts. And in tandem given bloom to a love that had simmered under the surface for almost a decade, new life; given her purpose, had narrowed her priorities and made her grow up in more ways than one. Tic made her feel less like a burden and more like a priority. He promised that he wasn’t going anywhere and hadn’t, and the way he looked at her and their kids… Leti was sure, could heal all the hate in the world. She loved him and was more than positive about wanting to spend the rest of her life with him and their children. So there was no hesitation in her actions when she took the pen from the clerk and signed her name next to his with large swooping letters. Officially changing her name from Letitia Lewis to Letitia Freeman. 

To Tic, it felt like ending to the first book in his favorite series. The wounded Vet gets the girl of his dreams, their children and lives happily ever after. He used to think that the stories he read as a kid to escape his cruel reality was just that… stories. It would never happen to someone like him. But every day felt just like that... like a story ripped straight from the page he was reading. Of course the chain of events was a bit out of order but the thought of Leti has always given him purpose, given him courage. The strength he felt was, at its core, powered by the love she gave him. The strength she shows on her own every day feeds his strength. And the love she gives, makes him feel safe and grounds him in ways he never thought possible. It only made sense to him for this to be their outcome, or it could’ve just been him wanting something so bad for so long that he was blind to reality. But then she looked up with eyes softer than he’s ever seen and she could barely look him in the eyes through her tears and kissed him and that’s when he knew, he wasn’t blinded at all. He was loved, unconditionally. 

“They still out?” Tic walked back into their shared bedroom and brought her out of her thoughts as she looked over her husband. She still was getting a kick out calling him her husband. He was fresh out of the shower, his pajama pants sitting low on hips and his white shirt stretching across his chest that made her clench her thighs together. She shakes her head briefly to bring her to the present when she notices Tic looking at her questioningly and smirking when he notices she’s staring. 

“Y-yeah. They’ve been out for the last two hours so I think we’re good.” She finishes wrapping her hair and walks over to the crib to check on them, seeing them sleeping soundly, nuzzled in their crib. They learned early on the twins didn’t like sleeping separate from each other. And Tic realized he wasted his time going out to find another crib after their birth when he and Leti got zero sleep the first month before they realized George and Ava slept better together than apart. They were sleeping more soundly through the night now and Leti and Tic took advantage of their time completely. 

He locks the door and walks over to her by their mirror and wraps his arms around her waist, nuzzling the side of her neck. She smells like jasmine scented soap she uses and the feeling of his arms around her is still somewhat foreign now without the twins nestled inside of her anymore. But she rests her head back against his chest and they stay there like that. Her eyes zero in on the silver band on his left hand and she takes her own ring adorned hand and interlaces their fingers. “Ruby is a damn bloodhound.” She states after a moment and he kisses his teeth. 

“I told you…” He states nuzzling into her neck and she reaches up scratch the back of his neck and sighed into his affections. “Ruby sees all. Never could rush things past her.” 

“We did good for a few months though.” She sighs when he starts to press kisses to her neck, trailing further down her neck to the spot between her neck and shoulder and she stutters. Her arousal flushing down her neck and down between her thighs and she clenches them together again. 

“We did.” He grips her hips and pulls him towards him, pressing her against his hardening length and they both groaned quietly. His hands leave licks of hot flames down her hips and up under her nightgown, stepping out of her panties willingly when she feels his fingers dip into the sides and slide them down her hips. When she steps out of them, he takes his time creeping his fingers up her thighs and across her hips and he smiles when he hears her whimper softly. Her thighs are slick when he palms them, coated with her essence and his mouth waters. She widens her stance instantly, giving him access as he feels her fingernails dig into his neck in a way that spurs him on. He turns her around in an instant and she’s up into his arms, her legs wrapping around his waist and she’s kissing him deeply as his mind blurs momentarily. 

It’s pure muscle memory at this point when he carries her backwards to land in their bed, their lips never separating as she unties the drawstring on his pajama pants. Her hand is in his pants and palming him faster than he could blink and he wastes no time in breaking their kiss to lift her nightgown over her head before reaching up to kiss her again deeply. She gasps breathlessly when he flips her over on her back and reaches over into their nightstand to pull out a condom. He reaches up and kisses her again with one hand after a brief moment to put it on with the other hand when she reaches down to push his pajamas down his hips and off his feet. 

She’s the most beautiful thing he’s ever seen and he will spend the rest of his life saying that. He’s pushing her legs up and over his arms when he reaches down to kiss her deeply again, his tongue gently grazing across her bottom lip when she bites it playfully. It’s his low growl that sends a flush of wetness to her center and when his lips latch on to his favorite spot on her throat, the mole that sits at the base there, her eyes haze over in pleasure. Her hips slowly started to grind against his length against her own control, coating him with her. The veins on his length slowly causing her stomach to coil and she gasped when he gripped her hips, holding them in place to sink his way slowly into her, causing her eyes to flutter to the back of her head at the sudden fullness she felt. He paused for a moment giving her the time to adjust to him before he slowly began to drive into her. 

“Hell…” Leti gasps breathlessly as Tic continues to slowly increase his speed, his grip on her thighs bruisingly tight as he anchored her to earth. Every single stroke precisely placed to make her see stars every single time he drew out slowly to drive back into her. The sound of water rushing past her ears was about all she could make out outside of the light clinking of his dog tags that accentuated every stroke. 

Tic grits his teeth, fighting through the battle of her unbelievable slickness and the tightness of her gripping his length. Leti’s gripping at his forearms on her thighs, her nails leaving scratches along his arms as she softly cries out, shuttering through her orgasm as he strokes her through it slowly. Her eyes are fluttering and her thighs tremble as Tic continues his chasing his own impending orgasm. He kisses her hard as she grips onto his back for dear life, muffling their groans when they come together this time. Her fingers leave deep scratches along his back as he empties himself. 

He loves the look on Leti’s face after she comes. She’s breathless and her eyes are low and glazed over and he especially loves how she loves to curl into his side as she falls asleep after. It’s probably a feeling he’ll never get used to but is lucky enough to get to spend the rest of his life enjoying. So when he feels her curl into his side, he just reaches over to grab the blanket to cover them up before the soft sounds of Leti’s mouth breathing lulled him to sleep. 

~~~~~

The exact day the twins turned six months old was when they decided they’d finally tell their family of their marriage at their weekly Sunday dinner. 

Tic had faced enemies on the battle lines, faced death, his Father and monsters that would send any regular person running for the nearest exit. But none of that put the fear of god in him like his Aunt. He knew she was going to be upset at not being at his wedding and even more so about lying to her about it. But at the same time he wasn’t going to apologize for taking a step in his life that was  _ finally _ about him and what he truly wanted. This life with Leti, despite its twists and curveballs, showed him he wasn’t incapable of love nor was he incapable of having someone truly love him back. It’ll be a cold day in hell if he apologizes for holding tight to that with every fiber of his being.

It was still kinda surreal to him. He had watched Leti grow their babies, bring them into this world and become more of a superhero than anything he’s ever heard of before. Her tenacity and ambition knew no bounds and watching her face this new world with her head high and her shoulders back, afraid of nothing or no one… well it put a lot of things into perspective for him. The twins were barely a month old at the time and it was another long night after many others of no sleep. Leti was cradling Ava to her chest as she burped her gently and he still wasn’t able to describe the  _ shift _ he felt. 

His gaze fell to his own son, who looked like a doll, tiny in his large hands and felt all the air leave his lungs at once. This was  _ it _ for him. The realization hit him like a ton of bricks and he decided that day he was gonna ask Leti to marry him. He’s been positive about this for as long as he can remember but he was just never really sure about the right time to do so. Watching her with their newborn twins was all the push he needed, almost ashamed with the feeling that it took him this long to realize that time was a luxury they might not have much of. He knew he wanted to spend the rest of his life with this family he’s carved out in this world, for however long it may be. Leti was his lifeline, he needed her and their children behind him no matter what steps he took. 

He’s slipping his ring onto his finger when Leti walked into their room toting a freshly changed Ava on her right hip and fixing her headband with her left. Tic’s eyes caught the sun shining off the wedding ring adoring her left hand as well in the afternoon sun. 

“Lil George ready to go?” She asks when Ava’s hair sat the way she wanted it to and fluffed out her daughters romper. “Hippolyta said dinner’s at 5:00. It’s already 4:30 since this one decided that she didn’t like the dress I put her in and spit up all over it.” Leti chuckled, pressing a kiss to her daughters cheeks and she squealed happily, mimicking her Mother’s kiss with a wet open mouth kiss. Tic smiled when his wife’s and daughters laughter filled the room as she began to bundle Ava in her jacket and he heard his son getting fussy over in the crib obviously wanting to be in on the action too. 

“Yeah, I got the keys.” He states going to get George from the crib, already bundled in his and carries him on his hip as he grabs the car keys. 

Leti smiles as she grabs the diaper bag and heads out the bedroom door with Tic following behind her. When she gets to the top of the stairs she stops short. “Ruby, we heading out, if you ridin with us come on!” 

Ruby emerges from her room only seconds later buttoning her own coat. Tic passes off George to grab the diaper bag from Leti as they all headed down stairs to get in the car to make the drive to the South side. Each of them knowing this was going to be an interesting dinner. 

~~~

Nothing could really prepare them for the glare or bout of silence they got from his Aunt when Tic had announced mid-dinner about his and Leti’s marriage in Gary three months prior. 

You could hear a pin drop when Hippolyta’s eyes zeroed in on the Newlyweds’ matching bands on their left hands, their fingers interlaced tightly as if they were bracing themselves for an oncoming storm. 

_ **Forty Five minutes prior**  _

Everything had started normally for the night like they usually had. They had come in the door all smiles and kisses, doing the usual pass off of the twins to Hippolyta and Dee as they got settled taking off their coats. His aunt had announced that dinner would be ready in about fifteen minutes when Dee had noticed the ring on Tic’s finger. Her eyes bulged wide, whipping her head over in Leti’s direction, her eyes landing on the matching ring and she adjusted George on her hip. 

“Come on Lil G. Let’s get sissy and play in the living room away from all the lame adults until they decide to feed us.” 

“Lame? I’ll remember that.” Leti playfully whined as she followed Dee into the living room and the two laughed. 

“You need anythin, Auntie?” Tic smiled before reaching out and grabbing Ava as she got ready to go finish dinner, but not before placing a kiss to her cheeks making her babble in delight before passing her back to her Father. 

“No, you gone on ahead in there. Just finishing up in the kitchen. Dee set the table so I’ll holler when it’s ready.” She smiled warmly and headed back in the kitchen. 

Adjusting a babbling Ava in his arms he grinned brightly before lifting her in the air and blowing kisses to her tummy causing her squeal happily. He was sure his heart never knew a love like this before. “Let’s go save your brother from Dee, Princess.”

~~~

Dee was perched on her stomach on the floor with George on their baby blanket as Leti and Ruby sat on the couch listening to the radio.

The two sisters chatted amongst themselves quietly for a while before Dee humphed, rolling her eyes. 

“You know Mama gone have a fit when she find out you and Tic got married and didn’t say nothin.” Dee looked over at the two women when they looked between themselves wide eyed. The teenager scoffed. “I’m fourteen, not four. Your ring? Tic has one too, I saw it.” She points and Ruby fails in her attempt to stifle her laughter at the observant teenager. 

“We were gonna tell you guys tonight.” Leti trails off nervously, looking to Ruby for help. Her sister left her high and dry and raised her hands in surrender. Ava’s squeal in the living room brought a much needed distraction before Tic walked into the room, carrying their daughter and Leti sighed with relief, slapping her older sister's thigh sharply to stifle her laughter. 

Tic immediately feels the energy in the room when he walks in and slows to stop when he notices everyone’s eyes on him. More specifically Dee, who’s looking at him with an eyebrow raised and eerily looking so much like his Aunt it’s kinda terrifying. “Am I interrupting somethin?” 

It’s silent for a moment before Dee laughs, rolling her eyes. “I was just telling Leti here…” She starts, picking up George in the process and placing him in her lap to play with his hands. “That Mama gone hide ya’ll tails for getting married and not telling anyone.” Her eyes cut to her older cousin, his eyes wide with that same stupid aghast look on his face that Leti had. “And don’t sit there and look at me all crazy either. Ya’ll both are wearing your rings.” 

“W-we were gonna tell ya’ll tonight.” Tic stumbled over his words and Ruby couldn’t hold back her laughter, this time with Dee joining in causing George and Ava to squeal and babble wanting to be in on the fun too. 

“Ya’ll two are annoying.” Dee rolls her eyes and Leti could push Ruby out the apartment window for how hard she’s cackling. “Leti said the same thing.. Ya’ll rehearse this? It don’t matter.” The teenager shakes her head and looks back over at her older cousin. “I don’t care what ya’ll do. Makes sense, ya’ll have  _ babies.  _ But..” She trails off and starts laughing skeptically. “Mama…”

“I get it, Dee.” Tic rolled his eyes and started laughing with his cousin. 

“But congratulations, Tic.” She smiled warmly and turned her gaze over to Leti whose face was flushed with nervousness. “Welcome to the family, Leti. I mean you kinda always were but now like officially a Freeman.” 

Leti grins at the words and nods appreciatively. “Thank you, Dee.” The warm moment interrupted when Hippolyta called out that dinner was about ready and to come to the table. 

_ **Present** _

It was a long moment of silence at the dinner table, once Tic broke the news. 

He couldn’t read his aunt's face. That was the most unsettling part of it all, the only sounds in the room were of the twins happily babbling as Dee and Ruby fed them small spoonfuls of the sweet potatoes on their plate. Leti could feel Hippolyta’s eyes boring into her, deciding to focus on Tic’s hand in hers as she found the words she wanted to say. 

“So three months ago is what you’re telling me?” Hippolyta sat back in her chair and crossed her arms across her chest. “All this time I’ve been in your ear…” 

Tic feels Leti’s hand grip his tightly and he looks over to her, sharing a glance in silent conversation as to how to approach this. He figures he should be the one to speak first. It was  _ his _ idea. 

“I know you’re upset about me not saying anything..” Hippolyta scoffs and he clears his throat before continuing. “And me letting you think I wasn’t gonna step up. But I just wanted to enjoy this a little before I shared it with everyone else. Something just for me and her.” 

He wipes a tear that escaped from the corner of his eye and sits up straight, his left hand never leaving his wife’s. “I love Leti. I love our family and I’m not gonna apologize for creating a life for us.” Looking deep into his aunts eyes, he sees her stature soften and lets out an internal sigh of relief. “But I will apologize for making you think you weren’t important enough to know.” 

The room fell silent when Tic finished. No one really knowing if they should speak or just let the silence continue. Hippolyta nods her head and lets out a deep sigh, leaning forward towards the table again. 

“I don’t want you to apologize for doing what you're supposed to, Atticus. You wanted to keep this to yourself for a little while. I get it.” She looks over at her nephew and his new wife, their hands gripped tightly together as they finally relax. Both sporting grins a mile wide. Dee sits up straight with Ava in her lap holding a bottle in her mouth, clearly not expecting this lax of a turn of events at the news. 

“I know you love Leti and those beautiful babies. You’re becoming a man right in front of my eyes…” She trails off her eyes getting misty with the memory. “George would be so proud. So would Dora.” 

Leti feels Tic grip her hand tighter at the mention of his uncle and mother so she reaches over with her freehand to wrap his hand with both hers. The motion grounds him and he wipes his face with his free hand and nods his head in appreciation. 

“Thank you.” He chokes out. “I hope they are.” 

The room is silent for a bit outside of the sound of Ruby burping Lil George who as soon as he was finished eating, had started to fuss and started to reach out for Leti. Tic took the noise as a distraction from his emotions to reach around the table to grab his son and pass him over to Leti. 

Hippolyta gets up from the table and makes her way over Tic wrapping her arms around his neck, placing a kiss on his cheek and patting his chest comfortingly. “They are, baby.” 

She turns to Leti and wraps her in a hug as well, gently stroking George’s head as he sleeps comfortably in Leti’s arms. “Congratulations and welcome to the family, Leti.” 

Leti tearfully nods and smiles back at the older woman warmly. “Thank you… for all that you’ve done for Tic and me, the babies…” Hippolyta starts to interrupt but Leti shakes her head no, needing to get this out. 

“I know this all started out as... a mess. But you’ve welcomed me and helped me throughout all this. So I wanted to say thank you.” 

“Leti… You don’t have to thank me, but you’re welcome. Listen…” Putting her finger under Leti’s chin to make her look up at her, she wipes the tears dripping down the young woman’s face and smiles warmly at her. “I love Tic. I consider him my own just as much as Dee. And I know Tic loves you and those babies more than anything else in this world. So I love you too, ok? You are a Freeman now, we’re family.” 

“Ok.” Leti wipes her nose with her freehand and nods in understanding. 

“And just so you know, y’all gone owe me at least a reception. I get that much. I don’t care how late it is after the fact.” The room erupts in quiet laughter as to not wake the sleeping babies. 

“Ruby, can you come help me with getting this cobbler out and on the table. You family too now, no more guest privileges.” Hippolyta calls out from behind her as she makes her way into the kitchen. 

“We should probably put 'em down.” Tic mentions as he gets up and helps Leti out her seat as she hums in agreement. “Dee, gimme Ava. I’ll go put them down in Auntie’s room and you clean off the table.” 

~~~

“That ended up going better than I thought it would.” Leti turns to Tic after putting George down in the playpen. 

“Yeah same here. I thought for sure there would be more arguing and hurt feelings.” He finishes buttoning up Ava’s romper and carefully lifts his sleeping daughter off the bed and carries her to the playpen. Cradling her in his arms like she was the most precious thing to him before laying her down next to her brother. 

He reaches out for Leti and she immediately crosses the room into his arms, hugging her tightly from behind and leaning down to rest his chin on her shoulder. They spend a lot of time like this, snuggled together over their sleeping children watching them protectively as they slept. 

“I’m glad we don’t have to hide anymore. Everyone knows.” 

“Not everyone…” Tic is pressing a kiss to the side of her neck when she trails off on her statement and he lets out a sigh. 

“Leti… don’t start.” 

“Tic… Montrose should hear about this from you-”

“I don’t want him near you or our kids.” He whispered harshly. “I promised myself he’d never get close enough to my kids to do them like he did me. I’ll be damned.” He punctuated his statement with a soft squeeze to her midsection and pressing an even softer kiss to the side of her neck. “Let it go, Leti. I don’t wanna talk about this anymore.” 

There was a soft knock at the door and Ruby peeked her head in the door. 

“Cobblers out.” 

~~~~~~

A few weeks later Leti found herself doing what she considered the single most boring task known to man…grocery shopping. 

She’s spent the last five minutes intently digging through the peaches, filling up the small bag in her hand. Hippolyta had gotten the twins into the fruit recently and now she couldn’t keep it in the house long enough. But by the time she had filled up her bag, she couldn’t remember what else she needed while she was at the store. Sighing in frustration, she puts her fruit in her basket and starts to search around in her purse for the list, kicking herself for not just putting it in her wallet like she normally does.

As if her day couldn’t get any more aggravating, she drops her purse in her search, sending the contents sprawling across the produce department's floor. She throws her head back in defeat for a moment and lets out a long sigh before bending down to pick up her camera, wallet and compact mirror when a hand passes her favorite tube of red lipstick. 

“Letitia?” Her eyes go wide when she looks up and makes eye contact with her father in law. 

“Montrose...hey.” She smiles nervously and takes the lipstick from him, putting it in her purse with the rest of her things when she finds the list tucked in the corner of her purse.  _ Now I find it. _ She hasn’t as much as heard from him let alone seen him since George’s funeral. “H-how are you?” 

“Alright…” He trails off and shifts his weight on his feet, stuffing his hands in his pockets nervously. “How have you been? Heard you and Tic had twins. Congratulations.” 

Leti runs her hand through her hair. “Yeah, thank you. George and Ava. They’re a little over six months.” Watching as Montrose’s eyes start to get a bit glassy in the corners at the mention of his late brother, she searches in her purse for her wallet and pulls out the small picture of all of them she had taken a little after her and Tic had gotten married. 

She passes him the picture and she feels conflicted at how she feels seeing the range of emotions crossing his face as he looks over the picture. “He looks just like Tic. They’re beautiful Leti.” She nods her head in thanks as he continues. “But you guys are doing ok? I would’ve tried to call when I found out but then I had to leave for a bit.” 

“He’s good. We’re good.” Gently reaching out and taking the picture out his hand and puts it back in her wallet. 

“I wanna come by and see them soon.” This made Leti stand at attention, feeling the heat of white hot rage starting to lick at her skin at the audacity of him. Tic has been back in town for over a year at this point, their babies are six months almost seven and they have not heard a peep from him. Not a congratulations, not a well wish, a diaper or onesie. Has he even tried to apologize or do right by his  _ own _ son before trying to meet his grandchildren? Now he wants to be a grandfather? Absolutely not. 

“Listen Montrose, Atticus doesn’t want you around our children and honestly... I don’t think I do either.” She straightens her posture and looks him in the eye. She feels for him yes, but that doesn’t erase what he did. Leti will be damned, much like Tic, if she lets him close enough to hurt her babies. She’ll kill him herself first, Atticus could get in line behind her. 

“I showed you that picture for you to see that we’re happy.  _ He’s _ happy despite you and I know Tic won’t tell you, but I will. We appreciate your concern Montrose. But we don’t need it. My  _ husband _ and our children are fine without it.” She sees his nostrils flare in defiance at her tone for a moment and she stands her ground before he takes a breath, looking her in the eyes fire simmering behind them.

“I’m still that boys Daddy.” He states sternly and Leti raises an eyebrow in challenge.

“Atticus is a Daddy himself and he’ll do anything to protect our babies. Just remember that.” She looks him up and down and adjusts her basket on her arm. “And so will I.” She bites out and makes her way to finish the rest of her shopping. 

~~~~~~

Leti’s new favorite pastime was taking pictures of her babies. 

She could totally be biased, but they were the most adorable chunky things she has ever seen. Both halves of her heart lived outside her body now and she loved seeing them grow and experience the world. The only thing she loved almost as much was capturing these brief fleeting moments forever. It’s what she loved about photography, for just that moment in time everything has its place. There was no escaping a photograph, no running from it. Once it was captured it stayed that way forever, the real truth. Those moments, people, preserved in time. 

So it was no surprise that Leti had her camera strapped around her neck as Ruby performed with a band full swing at their belated wedding reception just a couple months later. The house was full of their family, blood and others of the like all there to celebrate the young couple. Although the real stars of the party were George and Ava, who after starting to crawl and pull themselves up were entertaining the other adults by dancing to the music that flowed from the living room. Leti jumps when she feels arms wrap around her midsection as she’s looking through her camera and turns to face her husband with a wide grin. She couldn’t help but press a kiss to his lips as he pulled the camera from around her neck. 

“Come dance with me.” Tic smiles and Leti passes her camera to Hippolyta who was sitting with some of the other tenants of the boarding house who was watching after the twins while the newlyweds enjoyed their party, following her husband into the dining room area where Ruby had just finished her last song. 

When she spots the couple walking hand in hand on the dance floor Ruby grabs the mic again, calling attention to everyone in the house to focus their attention on the two. 

“Alright ya’ll. You know it’s time for the newlyweds dance right?” The room cheered in applause and loud whoops as more patrons made their way into the dining room. Tic couldn’t hold back his smile as he wrapped his arms around Leti tightly and gently squeezed, pressing a kiss to the side of her head as she blushed, beaming brightly herself. “But first, I wanna make a toast to my baby sister and her new husband. Everyone get your glasses.” She reaches behind herself to grab a glass as the rest of the room raises theirs. 

“I know ya’ll have been through alot but this love is so inspiring and powerful to see. I’m so happy for you two. I wish you two and my adorable nephew and niece a lifetime of happiness. So this song is for Mr. and Mrs. Freeman...” The crowd cheered and Tic had pressed a kiss to the side of her neck. “And it’s by Mrs. Freeman’s favorite singer, Mr. B.B King.” She smiles before draining her glass as the band slowly begins the introduction to ‘On My Word of Honor’. 

Leti rolls her eyes playfully when Tic reaches out for her hand but she doesn’t hesitate to grab it as she feels herself get swept into his arms and she slides her left hand into his. He’s surprisingly enough, not that bad of a dancer. But when he presses a soft kiss to her forehead she relaxes into his arms and lets him guide her along the dance floor.

_ On my word of honor _

_ All my love belongs to you _

_ Please put your faith in me _

_ You'll see how true I'll be _

_ On my word of honor _

_ You can trust me with your heart _

_ And I pledge mine to you _

_ It's yours my whole life through _

This scenario is so different then the last time they were together at a party like this. Their cat and mouse game had reached a boiling point the last time and now here he was holding her in his arms, not as his girlfriend like he had just wanted then. But as his wife and the mother to his children. He wouldn’t change a single thing about any of it to be honest, nothing in this world felt more right then this moment right here. 

“This is a bit different huh?” He leans down to whisper in her ear playfully and... was it possible to fall anymore in love with this woman than he already has? Her smile lit up the entire room and the soft rumble of her laugh against his chest made his stomach lurch. 

“Yeah, last time you got me pregnant.” She jokes and they share a laugh. 

“I’m glad I did.” He admits. He had a lot of regrets in his life. He would never consider this to be one of them. “I wouldn’t change any of this.”

“I wouldn’t either.” She smiles and rests her head on his chest as they continue to dance slowly to Ruby’s warm crooning.

_ On my word of honor _

_ You mean everything to me _

_ I swear by stars above _

_ I'll keep my word, my love _

_ May these lips never kiss you _

_ Again, if they're telling you a lie _

_ And forever, ever, ever, ever and ever _

_ I cross my heart and hope to die _

_ On my word of honor _

_ You mean everything to me _

_ I swear by stars above _

_ I'll keep my word, my love _

When the song ended, Tic had reached down and pulled Leti’s face to his in a deep kiss. Her eyes widen in shock for a moment, clearly not expecting the kiss but quickly falling into the natural rhythm of their kiss and wraps her arms around his neck. Locking her arms around his neck, he wrapped his arms around her waist as he lifted her to her tiptoes in the deep kiss. When they finally separated, they rested their foreheads against each other for a moment just basking in the glow of their new life together. 

“Mr. and Mrs. Freeman everyone!” Ruby announced and the room erupted into cheers. Leti could feel the heat in her cheeks when she felt Tic’s hand wrap around hers. The dance floor fills again as Ruby starts another song and he follows Leti into the other room, more than likely to find the twins. 

He reaches out to grab her arm and pulls her back to him briefly for another kiss. Leti sighs into his mouth as she deepens the kiss again. She steps away from him to catch her breath for a moment when she feels a sharp pull at the hem of her skirt. Startled she looks down to see the bright smile of her son looking back up at her with his hands up towards her and his twin sister right behind next to pulling herself up on Tic’s pant leg. Tic’s laugh is the most beautiful sound she’s probably ever heard when he reaches down to pick up Ava and she reaches down to pick up George. Their family unit was sealed and surrounded with so much love it overwhelmed her. 

“Hey Freeman’s, say cheese.” Hippolyta’s voice rang out as she smiled from behind the lens of Leti’s camera. Tic’s free arm wrapped around her waist and pulled her closer to his side when the camera lens flashed, preserving the moment in time forever. 

~~~~~~

When Leti developed her pictures a week later, George and Ava played in the playpen in the corner of her darkroom in the basement. She knew that this would be the new picture she carried in her wallet from now on. 

“What do you guys think? Should I make a copy of this for Daddy?” She walks over to the playpen and peers over at George and Ava. George, staring back at her with those almond shaped eyes as he babbles when they make eye contact. Ava, peering around the room at hearing the name of her father.

“I guess I’ll take that as a yes.” Reaching down to run her hands over their heads gently when Tic made his way down the steps into the dark room. 

“Ruby said ya’ll were cooped up down here.” His grin was wide as Ava pulled herself up on the edge of the playpen, reaching up for him. Never being able to deny his babygirl, he immediately leans down and rubs his hand over his son’s head and lifts Ava up onto his hip, pressing a kiss to her cheeks. 

“She’s got you wrapped around her little finger.” Leti smiles as she dips another small photo into the solution and swirls it around watching the picture slowly become visible. 

“You too. Don’t be jealous.” He chides playfully as he presses a kiss to her cheek as he watches her dip the picture into another tin and swirls it around before hanging it up on the string of other photos drying. His eyes scan over the other photos that were hanging, stopping at the one his aunt took of them. “Can you make me a copy of this?” 

“That’s what I’m doing now. Your kids told me too.”

“Did they now?” He looks over his glasses skeptically, pulling Ava’s hands from reaching for them. 

“They did. Especially that ‘Daddy’s Girl’ in your arms right now.” Leti smiles, putting her hands on her hips. 

“Letitia Freeman, jealous of her daughter. How shameful.” He laughs when Leti makes her way across the room laughing when Ava pushes her away when she gets close enough and she scoffs in shock. 

“That’s my girl, protect Daddy.” Tic hides behind his daughter and Leti rolls her eyes. 

“I can’t believe you two.” She laughs as Tic presses a quick kiss to her cheek. “No, don't try to be sweet now. I have my baby boy since you two wanna gang up on me.” She walks over to the playpen and lifts George onto her hip. 

“Wow, using my son against me.” 

“And using my daughter against me?” Leti points out and they share a moment of laughter together. She notices that this has been, everything she didn’t even know she needed. 

“I really came down here to see if you were hungry. I’m about to make lunch.” He grinned bouncing a giggling Ava on his hip. 

“Yeah, I’ll come help.” She smiles when he reaches out to grab her hand and grips it tightly when she interlaces their fingers. 

Pulling her to him again he presses a soft kiss to her lips for a brief moment. “I love you, Leti.” He whispers against her lips and she sighs. The words still sent her heart soaring whenever she heard them. 

“I love you too.” 

  
  


_Fin._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank y'all so much for reading and bearing with me through this. I'm still just through the moon that I was on the right track when I started this story. I'll more than likely will definitely write more in this universe later on because I'm so in love with the Freeman Twins and the Freeman's themselves. I appreciate all the reviews and kudos 💕
> 
> Special Thanks again to the lovely ladies at the LCCCU G/C, thank you for bearing with me as I tried to get through this. This is for yall 💜

**Author's Note:**

> Hope ya'll enjoyed. I can't get enough of these two. I just 🥺  
> Thank you for reading and leaving any reviews or kudos 💜


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